Repent and Believe the Good News – Matthew 3

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight.’” Matthew 3:1-3

Repentance is about coming to God. To repent is to leave behind a life without God to gain a life with God.

In Mark 1:15, Jesus preached, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.” The kingdom of God was near because Jesus Messiah was near. He is the entrance way to God’s kingdom. The door to God’s kingdom appeared before them and urged them to enter God’s kingdom while the opportunity was before them.

In John 8:24, Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The “He” that Jesus referred to is Messiah. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

After Jesus had fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies about Messiah and given the people numerous signs that He was Messiah, He wept. Luke19:41-42 says that He wept over Jerusalem, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Back in 1546, John Heywood recorded a wise saying, “None so blind as those who refuse to see.” And later someone added, “None so deaf as those who will not hear.”

The repentance that John the Baptist preached was about leaving unpreparedness behind to gain preparedness. When Messiah arrived, he wanted everyone to receive Him.

In John 8:24, Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The worst sin of all sins is to reject the remedy for sin, namely, faith in Jesus Messiah.

“Prepare the way of the Lord.” Matthew quotes from Isaiah 40:3 to identify John the Baptist as the preparer of people to receive Messiah.

“Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4

John’s attire was similar to the prophet Elijah’s. In 2 Kings 1:8, Elijah is described as a “hairy man with a leather girdle [belt] bound about his loins.” John the Baptist wore camel hair and ate locusts to fulfill his role as a self-disciplined prophetic messenger in the wilderness. He rejected worldly comforts. He relied on God’s provision. [1]

John’s diet and clothing reflected a restricted lifestyle. He focused more on his soul’s health than his body’s. The soul is eternal. The body is temporal. His diet of locusts (a clean, permissible food) and wild honey was readily available and inexpensive. His camel hair garment was durable. It provided good insulation to keep him warm during the cold wilderness nights.

In Matthew 11:7–10, Jesus said of John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” Here, Jesus refers to a prophecy recorded in Malachi 3:1 of which John was the fulfillment. In Matthew 11:14, Jesus said, “If you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.” [2]

The idea to be the Elijah-like forerunner of Messiah did not originate with John the Baptist. God spoke of it in Malachi 3:1 and in Malachi 4:5-6 before John was born. In Luke 1:17, an angel also prophesied to John’s father before he was born, saying, “He will also go before Him [Messiah] in the spirit and power of Elijah.” John was not Elijah reincarnated. God gave to John the same anointing and power as He did to Elijah.

“Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Mathew 3:5-12

Many people recognized their need to get ready for the Messiah, and willingly did so.

“Baptism was practiced in the Jewish community already in the form of ceremonial immersions, but typically it was only among Gentiles who wished to become Jews. For a Jew in John’s day to submit to baptism was essentially to say, ‘I confess that I am as far away from God as a Gentile and I need to get right with Him.’ This was a real work of the Holy Spirit.” [3]

Matthew Poole wrote, “What did John the Baptist say, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers!’ These religious leaders believed that one was made righteous by keeping the law, and they believed themselves to be righteous in this way.” [4]

John asked them, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Frederick Fyvie Bruce wrote, “Most Jewish people believed in the wrath to come; the difference was the targets of that judgment. The Pharisees and Sadducees conceived of the judgment as concerning the heathen peoples. John thought of it as concerning the godless in Israel.”

John advised his listeners to flee from God’s wrath. John warned them to stop trusting in their Jewish heritage because they must truly repent, not simply trust in Abraham’s merits. [5] God’s wrath is on those who trust in anything or anyone besides His Messiah for salvation.

When John said, “Whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: John recognized his position before Jesus. He is one not worthy to carry the sandals of Jesus, and he did not consider himself far above those whom he has called to repentance, and he knew where he stood in relation to Jesus (instead of becoming proud of the crowds he drew and the response he saw).” [6]

“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” God promised to pour out His Spirit on all flesh in Joel 2:28. The baptism with fire increases inward purity.

F.B. Meyer wrote, “John the Baptist is sadly needed to-day. Much of what we call Christianity is but Christianized heathenism…we need that John the Baptist should come with his stern words about the axe, the winnowing-fan, and the fire. Nothing less will avail to prepare the way for a new coming of Christ.” [7]

“Then, Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:13-17

R. T. France wrote, “It was as if John said to Jesus, ‘I need your Spirit-and-fire baptism, not you my water-baptism.’” [8]

It wasn’t that this one act in itself fulfilled all righteousness, but it was another important step in the overall mission of Jesus to identify with fallen and sinful man, a mission that would only finally be fulfilled at the cross. [9]

“The heavens were opened: It was important for God the Father to publicly demonstrate that Jesus’ baptism was not just like anyone else’s, in the sense of being a display of repentance. It was not a display of repentance, but instead it was a righteous identification with sinners, motivated by love, and was well pleasing to the Father.” [10]

“’This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ When this voice of God the Father spoke from heaven, everyone knew that Jesus was not just another man being baptized. They knew Jesus was the perfect (in whom I am well pleased) Son of God, identifying with sinful man. By this, everyone knew that Jesus was different. Jesus was baptized so to be identified WITH sinful man, but He was also baptized to be identified TO sinful man.” [11]

In Matthew 3:16-17, the Holy Trinity showed up. Jesus Messiah, Son of God, came up from the water. The Spirit of God descended upon Him in the form of a dove, and God the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus Messiah was among them to say, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.”

Some looked for love in the wrong places. Did it boost their ego? Did it gratify their flesh? Did it help them gain a competitive edge ?

Jesus urged them to leave a life without God behind to receive a life with God forevermore.

What about you? What about me? What are we doing with Jesus Messiah. Jesus Christ is the open door to God’s kingdom.

[1] Google Sources
[2] GotQuestions.com
[3] EnduringWord.om
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid

Jesus God’s Son Savior – Matthew 2

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So, they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: but you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’” Matthew 2:1-8

King Herod was not from the line of David. He was appointed by the Romans. He was considered more of an occupational monarch than one of their own. He descended from the line of Edom, but did identify, at least superficially, as a Jew. Herod’s mother was a Nabatean Princess—an Arabic tribe in southern Jordan.

William Barclay wrote of Herod saying, “He had no sooner come to the throne than he began by annihilating the Sanhedrin…he slaughtered 300 court officers.” Thus, the Pharisees hated him.

Herod’s name in Greek (Ἡρῴδης) means either “son of a hero” or “like a hero.”

Herod executed his wife, Miriam, and her mother Salome, in 29 B.C.E. The next year, he murdered his brother-in-law Kostabar. These acts stemmed from his paranoia about relatives wishing to take away his throne. This paranoia only worsened over time, leading to his most famous act, namely the accusation of high treason against two of his sons, Alexander and Aristobolus, and their subsequent execution in 7 B.C.E. To proceed with the trial (which took place in the Roman court in Beirut), he needed to get permission from Augustus Caesar, which he received. The incident led to Augustus’ famous quip, “It is better to be Herod’s pig (Greek: hua) than son (Greek: huia).” The pun is based on the assumption that, as Herod was a Jew, he would not eat pork, and thus, his pig would be safe from the butcher’s knife, unlike his own flesh and blood. [1]

Can you imagine Herod’s face when the wise men told him they were looking for Him who was born king of the Jews? Herod’s been slaying people right and left to maintain his grip on power, and these men tell him a king of the Jews has been born and that they want to worship him. Perhaps, he had to leave the room to scream, and then, return after he recomposed himself. The whole city of Jerusalem is disturbed by this news. There was no telling what the madman on the throne would do next.

Herod called for a huddle with the chief priests and scribes. They told Herod that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem according to the prophecy recorded in Micah 5:2. Bethlehem means “House of bread” so the Bread of Life was about to pop out from the bread house.

King Herod released the wise men but requested they report back to him about this new king so he could worship Him. If the wise men had believed that line, they would not have been wise.

“When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” Matthew 2:9-12

The Lord provided two witnesses for the wise men: a star and prophetic words from Scripture. When they met Messiah, they fell down and worshipped Him. I like the saying, “Wise men still worship Jesus.”

What’s the significance of the gifts that they brought to Jesus?

Gold is a precious metal. It likely financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. Gold is symbolic of God-like qualities. The gift of gold to the Christ child was symbolic of His divinity—God in flesh.

Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God (Exodus 30:34). Frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. The gift of frankincense to the Christ child was symbolic of His willingness to become a sacrifice, wholly giving Himself up, analogous to a burnt offering.

Myrrh, a product of Arabia, was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. In Mark 15:23, myrrh was mixed with wine and given to Jesus when He was on the cross. Matthew 27:34 refers to it as “gall.” Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction. Jesus would suffer greatly as a man and would pay the ultimate price when He gave His life on the cross for all who would believe in Him.

After the wise men completed their mission, the Lord warned them via a dream to depart from Bethlehem without telling King Herod where the Child Jesus was.

Once, the Lord warned me by a dream. One morning, I had participated in a prayer meeting. I was on my way out the door when a brother in Christ told me that his roommate had a dream about me. In the dream, I was at a crosswalk. The light was red, but I decided to cross the street anyway. In his dream, the brother pulled me back onto the sidewalk just before a car would have struck me. Later that day, I was in China with a team of missionaries. The circumstances of our mission were not going has planned. We stopped and prayed. One person in the group had a vision as we prayed. He told the group, “I saw a stoplight and it was red.” I told the group about the dream. Everyone agreed that we were to abort the mission. Later, we received news that confirmed our decision.

Whenever witnessing for the Lord, we should be in prayer beforehand and in our hearts while in the moment. The Holy Spirit guides us to victories as we ask Him to lead and protect us.

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’” Matthew 2:13-15

The Lord knew what Herod would do when the wise men did not report back to him. He sent an angel to warn Joseph to FLEE and told him where to GO. He told Joseph, “Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” Matthew connects this event with a prophecy in Hosea 11:1.

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’” Matthew 2:16-18

Herod is like one of the beasts described in the books of Daniel and Revelation. He is ready to devour anyone who threatens his throne, even if they are toddlers. Matthew connects this incident with a prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 31:15.

Bethlehem is located in the land that belonged to Benjamin’s tribe. Benjamin was Rachel’s son. Many descendants of Rachel were weeping the loss of their precious sons. The sadness that parents experience when a child proceeds them in death is very deep.

“Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.’ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” Matthew 2:19-23

It is good to remember that those who oppose the Lord are but a vapor. They appear for a moment of time and disappear. They built on sand. God bears with them patiently, but they perish just like any other person. Herod was dead. God sent an angel to notify Joseph that it was safe to return to Israel. While enroute to Israel, the Lord warned Joseph again, so he turned from Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and went to Nazareth.

Matthew 2:1 begins with Jesus being born in Bethlehem. This fulfilled a prophecy that the Lord made in Micah 5:2. Matthew 2:23 ends with Jesus in Nazareth fulfilling three prophecies.

Matthew associated the word Nazarene with the Hebrew word netser (“branch or sprout”). In Jeremiah 23:5, the Lord promised to “raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” In Jeremiah 33:15, the Lord promised to “make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; He will do what is just and right in the land.” In Isaiah 11:1, the Lord promised, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”

Jesus was born in Bethlehem fulfilling Micah 5:2. The gifts that the wise men brought Him were symbolic of His Messiahship. Herod’s massacre of the little boys in Bethlehem fulfilled an ancient prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 31:15. The departure of Jesus from Egypt fulfilled Hosea 11:1. Jesus grew up in a town whose name means “Branch” fulfilling several Old Testament prophecies. And the fulfillment of these prophecies is just the beginning of many more to come in the Gospels. Thus, the testimony of Jesus in the Gospels is the Spirit of prophecy.

The Gospels are composed of words inspired by God which have the power to save and transform those who believe and receive them.

What did I bring to God? I brought my sin. What did I receive from God? His forgiveness and the enduement of His Holy Spirit living in me. He made Himself real to me. I have love, peace and joy that I never had before thanks to Jesus Christ in my life.

What is the joy of salvation? It’s a blessed assurance of being saved by God. Was it because I was such a good person? No, I was a horrible sinner. I reached rock bottom and cried out to Jesus in desperation to save me, and He did.

Salvation is a gift of God according to Ephesians 2:8. My salvation is based on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on my behalf. When Jesus died on the cross, the just for the unjust, He placed His merits into humanity’s account. We just need to believe and receive Him. He did the work. We just need to be humble enough to admit that we cannot save ourselves. Without Jesus we are absolutely lost for all eternity, but with Him we are absolutely saved for all eternity. That’s why Jesus Christ is called Savior and Lord!


[1] Thetorah.com

Believing in Jesus Messiah – Matthew 1

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.” Matthew 1:1-2

In Galatians 3:16, Paul wrote, “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your Seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ. Thus, Matthew begins his Gospel by connecting Jesus Christ with the Promise of God to Abraham that in his Seed all nations would be blessed. Matthew ends his Gospel with Jesus telling His followers to make disciples of all nations. [1]

Matthew also refers to Jesus Christ as the Son of David. In 2 Samuel 7:12-16, God promised David that his offspring would build a house for God’s Name and that His throne would be established forever. Then, in Matthew 1:2-16, Matthew provides a genealogy that lists the descendants of David until Christ is born.

Matthew places the name Christ (Messiah in Hebrew) after the name of Jesus in verse 1 of His Gospel. Remember, Matthew was living in the land where the rulers had just crucified Jesus, yet Matthew writes the last word those in authority wanted him to write about Jesus of Nazareth.

In Matthew 1:3, 5-6, 16, Matthew included five women in the genealogy of Jesus, which is unusual. He includes Tamar who was impregnated by her father-in-law Judah. He includes Rahab a former prostitute. He includes Ruth a Moabite. In Numbers 25, Moabite women were sent by King Balak to seduce Israelite men to sin. Matthew includes “the wife of Uriah” namely, Bathsheba. David committed adultery with her. Finally, he includes the virgin Mary. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary. She had not known a man. It is likely, that the religious leaders of Jerusalem did not believe this testimony although it was prophesied by Isaiah.

In Matthew’s day, religious leaders became intensely angry if someone broke their rules about Sabbath keeping. They became angry if someone did not wash their hands properly before eating. The fact that Matthew named Jesus as Messiah and included these women in His genealogy, must have greatly offended them.

Matthew WANTED people to know that Israel’s Messiah ate with “sinners” and tax collectors and included Mary Magdalene, a former adulterous among His followers.

Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Apart from God’s forgiveness no one enters heaven. The worst sin of all is not to believe in Messiah. For apart from faith in Him, there is no forgiveness. He alone is the Lamb who took away the sin of the world. Mary Magdalene and the women in the genealogy of Jesus all came to believe in God.

“And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Matthew 1:16

Matthew repeats that Jesus is Messiah.

“So all the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are 14 generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are 14 generations.” Matthew 1:17

The perfect pattern of 14, 14, 14, indicates that the arrival of Jesus was not random but planned. Seven is consider the number of perfection in the Bible. 14 is doubly perfect. [2]

God preserved Messiah’s family line between Abraham and David, between David and the Babylonian captivity, and between the Babylonian captivity and Messiah’s birth. For example, Esau had planned to kill Jacob. Saul tried multiple times to kill David. Multitudes of Jews died during the Babylonian captivity including all the sons of King Zedekiah. King Jehoiakim, who Babylon replaced with Zedekiah, died while enroute to Babylon, but his son, Jeconiah, survived and thus, the family line of Messiah was preserved. When Matthew wrote His Gospel, there had not been a king on the throne of Israel for over 600 years. With the Romans ruling Judea, it seemed unlikely that a son of David would ever sit on the throne in Jerusalem again.

King Herod was not from the line of David. He was appointed by the Romans. He was considered more of an occupational monarch than one of their own. He descended from the line of Edom, but did identify, at least superficially, as a Jew.

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: after His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then, Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21

Mary and Joseph were betrothed. In the Bible, betrothal was a formal, legally binding contract that was considered a legally valid marriage, even though the couple would not consummate their union until after the marriage ceremony. Nullifying a betrothal required a divorce, and if broken, was treated as infidelity. [3]

Joseph was a just man but not in the sense of Pharisee justice. A Pharisee would have executed her. Joseph was just in a godly sense, he would not marry her because he assumed she was unfaithful to him, but neither would he condemn her. His justice was flavored with mercy.

The Lord stopped Joseph from believing a lie about Mary. She likely told him the truth about seeing an angel and about receiving a prophecy from the angel that she was the virgin that Isaiah the prophet spoke about. But Joseph did not believe her until an angel also appeared to him and confirmed the same Word of God that he had told Mary. After the dream, Joseph now knew that Mary’s baby was Messiah, and that her son would conquer sin.

In Luke 2:48, the Bible refers to Joseph as the father of Jesus. In an ancient Hebraic adoption, if a man claimed a child as his, he was considered to be the child’s father, regardless of biological parentage. In legal and relational terms as well as matters related to inheritance, claiming a child ended all debate. Luke 3:23 says that Jesus “was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph”—stressing the fact that Joseph played no biological role in Jesus’ miraculous birth.

It is interesting to me that God provided an adoptive father (Joseph) for His divine Son to be included in the human race, and that in Christ, God adopts human beings into His family.

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then, Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His Name Jesus.” Matthew 1:22-25

God commanded Joseph to marry Mary and I believe that he was happy to comply. After Messiah was born, Joseph named Him Jesus just as the Lord told him to do in Matthew 1:21.

In Matthew 1:1, Matthew began this chapter by naming Jesus “Christ” (Messiah) and he closes this chapter by connecting Jesus with the prophecy about Messiah from Isaiah 7:14.

His Name shall be called Immanuel which means “God with us.” This verse clearly states that Jesus is deity, which the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny. The Jehovah’s Witnesses like to quote the false prophet Balaam who said in Numbers 23:19 that “God is not a man that He should lie” to deny that God could become a man. But the Name Jesus means “the Lord saves.” The angel declared Jesus is Immanuel... God with us.”

The Bible makes it clear that faith in God must include faith that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. John 1:14 says, “The Word [Jesus] was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul wrote, “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” In this passage, Paul separates Christ from being a normal man. Jesus had no sin. He was both man and God simultaneously. In reference to Christ, Paul wrote in Colossians 2:9, “In Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

There is no way to get to heaven apart from faith in Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:23 says, “No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

1 John 5:12 says, “Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” No human being is in a position to negotiate with God a different way to heaven. God has made Jesus alone the way to the Father.

Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Do you want assurance of salvation? Believe and confess that Jesus is the Son of God.

Revelation 19:10 says, “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” True prophets prophesy of Jesus. In Acts 10:43, Peter preached, “To Him [Jesus Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through His Name whosoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins.”

There’s absolutely no salvation apart from God’s forgiveness. God forgives the sins of the man, woman, boy or girl who believes in His Son Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for that!



[1] Google sources
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid

Fear, Love, and Trust in God Above All Things – Exodus 19-20

“In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So, Israel camped there before the mountain. And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:1-6

Suddenly, it was done! As though an eagle had swept down from the sky, picked them up and carried them away to a better place. Their bondage to idolators and slavers was over. They left Egypt with gold, silver, and precious jewels, but better yet, with a new opportunity to be close with God and to walk in His ways. The Lord brought them away from idols to be with Him.

“If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant...” Paradise departed and problems arrived when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s voice in the Garden. Now, God was giving their descendants a great opportunity to obey Him.

They had just witnessed what happened to Pharaoh and his men when they defied God’s voice.

God opened the door for Israel to hear His voice and be in a covenant relationship with Him. To be His special treasure! A light on a hill! Salt of the earth! A kingdom of priests! A holy nation!

“So, Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before them all these Words which the Lord commanded him. Then, all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ So, Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you and believe you forever.’ So, Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. Then, the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live. When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.’ So, Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, ‘Be ready for the third day. Do not come near your wives.’” Exodus 19:7-15

The people promised to obey God. They washed their clothes and the men abstained from intimacy with their wives for three days.

According to verse 1, the Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Sinai in the third month after leaving Egypt. On the 15th of Nisan, they left Egypt. On the 1st of Sivan they arrived at Mount Sinai. That’s between 45-50 days or seven weeks. This 50-day gap parallels with the gap of time between Passover and Pentecost (Shavuot). The receiving of the Torah/Ten Commandments is celebrated on Shavuot (Pentecost). [1]

They had been walking in the wilderness for seven days. Now, they are stopped. As Jesus taught His followers from a mount, God is preparing to teach them His laws at Mount Sinai. First, He provided for them time to freshen up. Washing their clothes was symbolic of their souls’ need for cleansing with God’s Word. They had been living in a land of idols for 430 years. Abstaining from physical intimacy was symbolic of their need to be laser focused on their soul’s wellbeing.

God called for three days of consecration. After three days, God would provide Moses with His new mandate for Israel. In John 20:22, Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead on the third day, and afterward, breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” In Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” God’s breath (His Spirit) and His Word (Christ) bring forth divine life in people who receive Him.

“Then, it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now, Mount Sinai was completely in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then, the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.” Exodus 19:16-20

Acts 7:53 says that the Law was given by the disposition of angels. Revelation 4:5 speaks of lightnings and thunderings and voices proceeding from God’s throne. In Revelation 1:10, when Christ began to reveal to John the judgments of the last days, he heard a great voice as of a trumpet. Hebrews 12:21 says, “So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, ‘I exceedingly fear and quake.’” [2]

The fear of God is one of the spiritual anointings that was on Jesus during His earthly ministry. Isaiah 11:1-2 says, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the SPIRIT of the FEAR of the LORD.” [3]

People who do not fear the Lord are dangerous. In Genesis 20:11, “Abraham said, ‘Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.’” [4]

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the Lord, and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.’ But Moses said to the Lord, ‘The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.’ Then, the Lord said to him, ‘Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest He break out against them.’ So, Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.” Exodus 19:21-25

When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. When the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, tongues of fire appeared over their heads. When the Lord gave His Law to Moses, Exodus 19:18 says that Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Thus, Moses created a boundary line at the foot of the mountain that the people should not crossover, lest they perish. [4]

“The Lord said to him, ‘Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you.’” God wanted a second witness with Moses. Later, in Deuteronomy 19:15, the Lord will say, “At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.”

“And God spoke all these words, saying: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 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.’” Exodus 20:1-7

The first commandment calls us to focus on pleasing God above all others. Don’t let leisure, pleasure or things or people displace Him. I see honoring “Easter bunny” on Resurrection Day and Santa Claus at Christmas as an insult to God’s glory! In Isaiah 42:8, God says, “I will not give My glory to another.”

In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he wrote that we should, “fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” He stated that if the heart is right with God, all other commandments follow. Idolatry is misdirecting the fear, the love and the trust that should be to God alone. [5]

“You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain [as empty or nothing לַשָּׁ֑וְא], for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain!” [6]

In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he 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.”

The Israelites had recently come out of Egypt where the ruler there said to Moses in Exodus 5:2, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” Pharaoh did not revere the name of God. Although mighty in the eyes of many, he was a pawn of the devil to incite people to despise God their Creator. He competed with God just as the devil does.

Acts 4:12 says that the Name of Jesus is the only Name by which people can be saved. In John 14:13-14, Jesus taught us to ask God for help in His Name. In John 17:6, just before He was arrested, He declared to His Father, “I have manifested Your Name to the people whom You gave Me out of the world.” In Luke 10:17, the disciples casted out demons in the Name of Jesus. In Acts 4:10, they made a lame man to walk again in His’ Name. Philippians 2:7-11 says that every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God our Father.

“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.” Exodus 20:8-11

In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he 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.”

In John 12:26, Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” Therefore, the best thing we can do for any community is to teach people to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.’ Now, all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then, they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’” Exodus 20:12-19

Commandments five through ten are about honoring parents, not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, not bearing false witness and not coveting. The great commission of Jesus surpasses the commandments that forbid hurting others. He calls us to share the Gospel with sinners so that they have an opportunity to receive the life changing power of His Spirit.

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’ So, the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.” Exodus 20:20-21

It seems that Moses is contradicting himself, saying, “Do not fear” – “that His fear may be before you.” The meaning here is not to fear that God is angry at you or hates you but do have a healthy respect of God so that you do not sin against Him. No human being is in a position to negotiate a compromise with God. He is holy. He does not compromise with sin, but He is forgiving and gracious to us if we confess our sins to Him, trust, love and serve Him.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: you have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep, and your oxen. In every place where I record My Name I will come to you, and I will bless you. And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’” Exodus 20:22-26

Right after God gave Moses the Law, He alludes to the Gospel by speaking to Moses about sacrifices, burnt offerings and peace offerings. Until Christ appeared, God accepted the sacrifice of sheep and oxen to atone for the sins of the people. No descendant of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob kept the Law perfectly. The greatest heroes of the faith all fell short of God’s glory, that is until Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus fulfilled the Law. His blood was untainted by sin. Therefore, He was able to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Jesus is the rock that was not hewn by man. That is why God told Moses not to build altars out of hewn stones.

C. F. W. Walther wrote, “In the Law we hear the tenfold summons, ‘Thou shalt.’ The Gospel does not require anything good that man must furnish: not a good heart, not a good disposition, no improvement of his condition, no godliness, no love either of God or men. It issues no orders, but it changes man. The Gospel plants love into his heart and makes him capable of all good works. It demands nothing, but it gives all. Should not this fact make us leap for joy?” [7] Martin Luther wrote, “The Law discovers the disease, the Gospel gives the remedy.”

The Gospel according to Luke 24:46-49 is, “It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that REPENTANCE and REMISSION of SINS should be preached in HIS NAME to all nations... tarry... until you are ENDUED with POWER from ON HIGH.”

In JESUS’ NAME, there is forgiveness of sins and enduement of power from on high. The Holy Spirit creates within us a new heart to fear, love and trust God above all things.


[1] Referred to Google sources to determine the time gap between Egypt and Mt. Sinai

[2] Referred to Matthew Henry Commentary

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, first published in 1529, various language editions available at Concordia Publishing House, and online free

[6] Jameison Fausset Brown Commentary

[7] “The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel,” by C. F. W. Walther, Concordia Publishing House, 1929. C. F. W. Walther founded and served as the first president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). He established Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

Jesus Says To Ask – Exodus 17-18

“Then, all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water, that we may drink.’ So, Moses said to them, ‘Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?’ And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, ‘Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?’” Exodus 17:1-3

The people contended with Moses. The word in Hebrew for “contended” is (רִיב) which means to toss, grapple and wrangle. They complained about lack of water and accused Moses of having murder on his mind. Why did they grapple with him? He was not their Lord and Savior. Why did they tempt the Lord? Their lack of faith in God tempted God to bring on them the same plagues that He brought on unbelieving Pharaoh.

“So, Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!’ And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So, he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” Exodus 17:4-6

Moses took his need before the Lord. He didn’t tell the Lord what to do? He asked the Lord for counsel. The Lord instructed Moses what to do.

After Moses brought 2.5 million slaves out of slavery, they were ready to stone him. This passage reminds of how the Jerusalemites sung “Hosanna” to Jesus Christ on a Sunday and crucified Him on a Friday. Leaders may want to live in the accolades of their past but followers tend to rate them on a moment by moment basis?

In John 5:43, Jesus said, “I have come in My Father’s Name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” Anyone who is more concerned about their own name than the name of the Lord can be manipulated by conniving people.

In Matthew 5:11-12, Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” With this blessing from the Lord, we can endure dislikes and departures of people because piling up stats for our name’s sake is not our motive. Our goal is to glorify the Lord whether by life or death.

The people need water. God told Moses to strike a rock with his wooden staff. In 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul identifies the rock that Moses struck was a type of Christ. The striking of the rock represents Jesus being smitten on the wooden cross to provide for our souls the “living water” of eternal salvation.

Moses called the name of the place Massah (temptation) and Meribah (strife). The way to overcome temptation and strife is to turn to Christ rather than to contention and complaining.

“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.” Exodus 17:7-13

In Deuteronomy 25:17-18, Moses recounts this battle saying that the Amalekites attacked Israel’s rear ranks. Lacking the fear of God, the Amalekites attacked Israel’s weary stragglers as predators attack weak animals of a flock. What did Moses do? He raised the rod which represents the cross of Christ, as well as his other hand in prayer to God. As long as his hands were lifted to the Lord, Israel prevailed. So, when he grew weary, Aaron and Hur came to his sides and helped Moses to keep his hands up.

“Then, the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, ‘Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’” Exodus 17:14-17

Amalek made a fatal mistake that day. They joined with Satan against God’s people. Psalm 83:4 says, “They have said, ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” God promised to wipe the Amalekites out.

In 1 Samuel 15:1-3, the Lord told King Saul via His servant Samuel the prophet, “To go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” Saul spared their king and the best of their animals. Thus, God rejected Saul and determined to replace him with David. Later, In 2 Samuel 1:6–10, an Amalekite tells David that he struck the final death blow to Saul.

“And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. Then, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, ‘I have been a stranger in a foreign land’) and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, ‘The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh’); and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. Now, he had said to Moses, ‘I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.’ So, Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent.” Exodus 18:1-7

Moses had been deprived of companionship with his wife and sons throughout the time of his confrontation with Pharaoh. Since the last time that he saw his wife and sons, he experienced hatred and threats from the King of Egypt, as well as hatred and death threats from the very slaves God sent him to rescue. He showed his father-in-law great respect and affection.

“And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. Then, Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now, I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.’ Then, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.” Exodus 18:8-12

Once upon a time, Moses was passing through Midian. He sat down to rest by a well. While there, he saw Jethro’s daughters being bullied by a group of shepherds. Moses chased the bullies away and helped the shepherdesses to water their flocks. When they got home, Jethro told them to invite Moses home for dinner. What could a priest of Midian offer to a former prince of Egypt? A daughter in marriage! Now, 40 years later, Jethro blesses the Lord for delivering his son-in-law and his people from Egypt. He testifies, “Now, I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods.” He made offerings and sacrifices to God. He invited Aaron and the elders of Israel to eat with him and Moses. Moses was blessed with a very good father-in-law.

“And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. So, when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, ‘What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?’ And Moses said to his father-in-law, ‘Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.’” Exodus 18:13-16

Now, Moses needed a rescuer. Jethro approached his son-in-law with questions. What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone? From morning until evening? Moses explained the “why” and “what” he did.

“So, Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you. You are not able to perform it by yourself. Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of 1,000’s, rulers of 100’s, rulers of 50’s, and rulers of 10’s. And let them judge the people at all times. Then, it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So, it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.’” Exodus 18:17-23

Now, Jethro interjects his concern, “You will surely wear yourselves out.” He asks Moses to listen to him, offers him advice, and states confidently that God will be with him if he accepts his advice. Jethro advises Moses to take time and energy to select able men with the following qualifications: 1. They fear God, 2. Respect truth, and 3. Hate covetousness. Jethro advised Moses to create four tiers of judges: 1. Over 1,000’s, 2. over 100’s, 3. over 50’s, and 4. over 10’s. Moses would still be the final judge over cases that the lower courts could not resolve.

“So, Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people: rulers of 1,000’s, rulers of 100’s, rulers of 50’s, and rulers of 10’s. So, they judged the people at all times. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves. Then, Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.” Exodus 18:24-27

Moses was a great leader. His acceptance of good advice from his father-in-law was another demonstration of the good character traits that God had instilled in him. As for Jethro, Exodus 2:11-21 and 18:1-27 highlight his important role in the life of God’s servant Moses.

I conclude this article with a testimony from August 16, 1864.

In the summer of 1864, tens of thousands of Union POWs were dying of thirst at the military prison in Andersonville, Georgia. Many had died already. Some began to pray for a miracle. Suddenly, a spring erupted from the ground within the stockade.

Today, there is a memorial building to this event with two inscriptions on it: “The Prisoners’ cry of thirst rang up to Heaven. God heard, and with His thunder cleft the earth and poured his sweet water came rushing here,” and “God smote the hillside and gave them drink.”

On August 12, 2011, Irvin Rozier, Captain (Ret) U.S. Army wrote a poem entitled, “Providence Spring at Andersonville, Georgia” about this event:

“The much needed drinking water was there all along.
A prayer meeting was held and the men sang a song.
Cool refreshing water was what the prisoners needed.
And to their anguished cries the good LORD heeded.

Lord, in their deep need and despair they cried out to you.
And a great rain and thunderstorm arrived out of the blue.
You sent a huge bolt of lightning to strike the red earth.
It blew the ground apart and caused it to give new birth.

To a cool refreshing clear stream of water to drink,
To those prisoners of war who readily did sink,
To their knees in gratitude of Your help that day,
You answered their petitions in Your wonderful way!”

What stream do you need the Lord to provide for you today? Jesus says to ask...

 

Glorifying God – Exodus 15-16

“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. The Lord is a man of war. The Lord is His Name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea. His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them. They sank to the bottom like a stone.’” Exodus 15:1-5

The Lord saved them! Circumstances appeared that they would be slaughtered by swords and spears but the Lord intervened. The ones who had destroyed their every hope for normalcy for 400 years were truly gone never to rise again.

In Revelation 20:10, the devil, the end-times “beast” or antichrist and his false prophet are cast into the lake of fire forever and ever. That will be an even greater victory for humanity.

The Bible includes lyrics to two songs which Moses composed: his victory song in Exodus 15:1-19 and his farewell song in Deuteronomy 32:1-43.

Revelation 15:2 speaks of “those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name.” This group stands beside “a sea of glass mingled with fire.” In Revelation 15:3, they “sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” The Lamb is Christ.

Moses represents the Law which convicts us of our sin. The Lamb represents the Gospel which gives to us an unmerited remedy for our sin. Jesus Christ took the sin and guilt of the entire human race upon Himself and nailed it to the cross. He resurrected victorious over sin, death and the devil, and He gives His victory to all who believe in Him and profess Him.

Thus, the saints in glory sing to God for giving them the victory over the Beast. The Beast like all cruel tyrants before him was an embodiment of Satan. He humiliated, harassed, hurt and harmed believers and professors of God, but he lost the battle for their souls. Jesus saved them.

When God defeated Pharaoh at the Red Sea, the surrounding nations trembled. In Joshuas 2:9–10, a citizen of Jericho told two Hebrews, “The fear of you has fallen upon us. All the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.” When God defeats all evil, the nations will fear and worship Him. That is what the saints declare in their new song.

Why do I sing to the Lord? Out of obligation? Because I like to sing? Moses sang to the Lord because the Lord triumphed gloriously! God took the army that no one on earth could defeat at that time and threw them into the sea where they sank to the bottom like a stone.

According to Biblical prophecy in Jeremiah 51:63-64 and Revelation 18:21, Babylon is described as sinking “like a stone” or a great millstone, symbolizing total, violent, and permanent destruction. Babylon is a code word for Satan’s kingdom. Satan’s evil empire will eventually fall, never to rise again.

“Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power. Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces. And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You. You sent forth Your wrath. It consumed them like stubble. And with the blast of Your nostrils the waters were gathered together. The floods stood upright like a heap. The depths congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw My sword. My hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with Your wind. The sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters.” Exodus 15:6-10

God’s right hand is glorious in power. In Acts 2:33, Peter preached that Jesus Christ was “exalted to the right hand of God.” In Romans 8:34, Paul wrote, “It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” In Hebrews 1:3, the writer of Hebrews wrote that after Christ, “purged our sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”

Moses sang of God overthrowing those who rose against Him. God is better at overthrowing foes than Bruce Lee, the Jeet Kune Do (截拳道), master. 1 John 3:8 says, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You stretched out Your right hand. The earth swallowed them. You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed. You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.” Exodus 15:11-13

No one is like the Lord. Psalm 113:4 says, “The Lord is supreme over all the nations. His glory reaches to the skies. No one is like the Lord our God, who rules from heaven.”

The Lord caused the earth to swallow up the Pharaoh and his army. In Genesis 3:19, after Adam sinned, God told him, “For dust you are and to dust you shall return.” The first Adam brought death due to sin, but the second Adam, Christ, brought salvation. Only in Christ does death become the portal into a life of happiness forevermore. Israel was saved from being swallowed up by death in that moment due to God’s mercy and redeeming love towards them.

“The people will hear and be afraid. Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia. Then, the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling will take hold of them; all the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away. Fear and dread will fall on them; by the greatness of Your arm they will be as still as a stone, till Your people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over whom You have purchased. You will bring them in and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which You have made for Your own dwelling, the sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established. The Lord shall reign forever and ever. For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.” Exodus 15:14-19

Moses is prophesying by the Spirit of the Lord in these stanzas of his song. The defeat of the Philistines, the Edomites, the Moabites and Canaanites are next. What will those kingdoms do when the God of Israel comes their way? They are afraid. They are dismayed. The fear and dread of Israel comes upon them as they receive the news of what Israel’s God did to Egypt.

“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!’” Exodus 15:20-21

Exodus 6:20 states that Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Before they married, did they ever see themselves as becoming the parents of three outstanding children with prophetic gifts? Our Heavenly Father was very gracious to them.

Miriam was the older sister of Moses. She kept a watchful eye on the basket of baby Moses as he floated in it on the river towards the palace of the princess of Egypt. She offered to help the princess with her newly adopted baby boy by recruiting a Hebrew woman (her own mother) to nurse the infant. Now, Miriam is rejoicing in the Lord with timbrel in hand and dances with her feet. The Lord has triumphed gloriously!

Miriam must have been happy that God used her little brother Moses, the baby whose life she helped to save, to save her nation from annihilation.

“So, Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea. Then they went out into the Wilderness of Shur. And they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now 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.’” Exodus 15:22-26

What should we do when bitter circumstances come our way? Wallow in bitterness? No, turn the bitterness over to the Lord. Psalm 30:11-12 says, “You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy.”

Moses cast a tree into the bitter waters and the bitter waters became sweet. The tree symbolizes the cross of Christ. We bring the bitterness that sin has brought to us to the cross of Jesus, where He forgave us, and where He gives us the grace to forgive those who sinned against us. Jesus sweetens our disposition by His grace and by the power of His Holy Spirit.

The Lord promised to put none of the diseases on the Israelites that He put on the Egyptians. The Lord plagued the Egyptians each time they hardened their hearts against His Word.

When Israel complained about the bitter waters, they did not heed God’s voice. They heeded the voice of a stranger. They behaved like pagans. They flunked the first test of faith, but God still provided for them via grace. The tree (the cross) symbolized Christ.

“And they journeyed from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after they departed from the land of Egypt. Then the whole congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said to them, ‘O, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’ Then, the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.’” Exodus 16:1-5

The Israelites had lots of gold, silver and fancy clothes with them from the Egyptians, but these items were of little benefit to them in the wilderness. They could not eat or drink them. Moses and Aaron likely had as many as 2.5 million people in their entourage. The whole group of them begin to accuse Moses and Aaron of trying to kill them.

Thankfully, the Lord immediately spoke with Moses. He told Moses that He would rain bread on them. But there was a catch... they could only collect enough food for a day except for on the sixth day. On the sixth day they could collect for two days, so they could rest on the seventh day.

The Lord wanted to test their faith in Him. Would they trust Him to keep delivering food to them on a daily basis or doubt Him?

“Then, Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, ‘At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?’ Also Moses said, ‘This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.’” Exodus 16:7-8

Moses and Aaron set a good example for spiritual leaders. They pointed people back to God. They were not their saviors. God brought them out of Egypt. Moses and Aaron asked them, “What are we?” In other words, we are people just like you. God is God and we are not. The people needed to look to God not to them. God promised them meat and bread.

“Then, Moses spoke to Aaron, ‘Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, come near before the Lord, for He has heard your complaints.’ Now, it came to pass, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, at twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’” Exodus 16:9-12

As Aaron spoke, God brought glory clouds over them.

“So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So, when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, ‘This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’” Exodus 16:13-16

God was way ahead of drone technology. He brought them meat in the evening and bread in the morning. Food was all around them. Moses issued limits on how much each should gather.

“Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less. So, when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. And Moses said, ‘Let no one leave any of it till morning.’ Notwithstanding they did not heed Moses. But some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. So, they gathered it every morning, every man according to his need. And when the sun became hot, it melted.” Exodus 16:17-21

Everyone had enough! Praise the Lord! Sadly, some tried to scam God, but their greed turned to worms and stench.

In Mark 9:43-44, Jesus warned His listeners, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.”

“And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. Then, he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has said: tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.’ So, they laid it up till morning, as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it. Then Moses said, ‘Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.’” Exodus 16:22-26

In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” He spoke these words to the Pharisees to explain that the Sabbath is a blessing meant for human rest and refreshment, rather than to enslave people to legalistic rules. In Mark 2:28, Jesus affirmed His authority over its observance, saying, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Thus, the Lord provided a double portion for Israel on the sixth day. [1]

“Now, it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath. Therefore, He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place. Let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.’ So, the people rested on the seventh day.” Exodus 16:27-30

Disobedience to God’s commands has been our race’s continual short-coming. We should start every day with prayer that God will keep us from temptation and deliver us from evil AND give us His grace and His Holy Spirit to think, say and do the things that bring HIM glory.

“And the house of Israel called its name Manna. And it was like white coriander seed, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Then, Moses said, ‘This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: fill an omer with it, to be kept for your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ And Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.’ As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept. And the children of Israel ate manna 40 years, until they came to an inhabited land; they ate manna until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. Now, an omer is a tenth of an ephah.” Exodus 16:31-36

In Hebrews 9:4, the writer wrote of the golden jar that held the manna. The preservation of this manna from waste and corruption was a standing miracle, and therefore the more proper memorial of this miraculous food. “Posterity shall see the bread,” says God, “wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness.” The manna never ceased till they came to the borders of Canaan, where there was bread enough and to spare. [2]

In John 6:49-51, Christ is the bread of life of which manna symbolized. In Matthew 4:4, the devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus had not ate for 40 days. He was very hungry, but He told the devil, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” In Revelation 2:17, Jesus speaks of the hidden manna. Jesus is the manna! He is hidden throughout the Scriptures, but when we ask Him, He makes Himself known to us in them. He satisfies our souls. He brings our flesh into submission so that it glorifies God.

[1] Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary: content. Google Sources: express succinctly

[2] Matthew Henry Commentary

Forever in God’s Family – Exodus 13-14

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine.’” Exodus 13:1-2

The Lord struck dead the firstborns among people and animals of the Egyptians but preserved the firstborns of the Israelites, so in this sense, their living firstborns belonged to God.

Hebrews 12:22-23 says, “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect.” Moses registered the firstborn who survived the night of death in Egypt. Jesus registered the firstborn when He obliterated the power of death.

In Matthew 27:50-53, after Jesus yielded up His spirit: the temple veil split in two, the earth quaked, rocks were split, graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. They came out of their graves after His resurrection and appeared to many in the holy city... perhaps referring to the heavenly Jerusalem – firstborn from the dead.

In Luke 23:43, while on the cross, Jesus said to the believer in Him next to Him, “Assuredly, I say to you, TODAY you will be with Me in Paradise.”

“And Moses said to the people: ‘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. No leavened bread shall be eaten. On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. And it shall be, when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, this is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt. 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.” Exodus 13:3-10

I repeat a comment here from my Exodus 11-12 article about unleavened bread. In Matthew 16:6 and Mark 8:15, Jesus warned His disciples to “beware of the leaven” of the Pharisees, Sadducees and of Herod. According to Jesus in Matthew 16:12, the leaven was false doctrine. God instituted the annual commemoration of Passover to keep their faith in Him pure.

The celebration of Passover was like a wedding ring between God and his people. A sign that they were in a committed relationship with each other. The celebration of Passover also served as an opportunity to teach their children the history of God’s relationship with them. The annual celebration of Passover was their own holiday. They did not need to join pagan festivals!

“And it shall be, when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. So, it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, what is this? that you shall say to him, by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.” Exodus 13:11-16

The firstlings of their cattle were to be dedicated to God. Those of clean beasts — calves, lambs, and kids — if males, were to be sacrificed. The firstborn of their children were to be redeemed, and by no means sacrificed, as the Gentiles sacrificed their children to Moloch. The price of the redemption of the firstborn was fixed by the law (Numbers 18:16) at five shekels. We are redeemed were by the blood of Christ we, that we may be joined to the church of the firstborn. [Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary]

“Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.’ So, God led the people around by way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt. And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you.’ So, they took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. And 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.” Exodus 13:17-22

Matthew Henry Commentary says that the journey to the Promised Land would have only taken about 5-days if they had taken the main road from Egypt through the land of the Philistines, but they were slaves, freshly out of Egypt, and not ready for battle. The Philistines were fierce warriors. In the past, they had taken wells from their forefather Isaac. God knew what was best for them. Also, in Exodus 3:12, the Lord had told Moses to bring the people back to the mountain where he first saw the burning bush. It was a three day journey. Moses obeyed.

In Genesis 50:25-26, Joseph had commanded that his bones should be taken with God’s people when they left Egypt to eventually be buried in the Promised Land. His remains being with them was a visual reminder that he prophesied about this event, and God brought it to pass.

God gave the people a visible sign of His presence with them by day and night. He used the pillar to lead them. Both wind and fire are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

I thank God for the Holy Spirit in my life. Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” The Holy Spirit in the believer’s life is God’s down payment on our salvation. He is the guarantee of our inheritance. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” I need this blessed assurance.

“Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, they are bewildered by the land. The wilderness has closed them in. Then, I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.’ And they did so.” Exodus 14:1-4

The Lord let Moses know ahead of time that he had not seen the last of Pharaoh.

A common experience to new believers in Christ is that the enemy will soon attack them in some shape or form to sabotage their faith in God. It is important for new believers to get in the Word and strengthen their faith. Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Just as our body needs food and water to survive, our soul needs Word and Spirit to thrive. The Holy Spirit fellowships with us as we read the Word, pray and obey His guidance.

“Now it was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled, and the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people; and they said, ‘Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?’ So, he made ready his chariot and took his people with him. Also, he took 600 choice chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt with captains over every one of them. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; and the children of Israel went out with boldness.” Exodus 14:5-8

It is a wonder that anyone would still follow this crazy king. Egypt was devastated. His 600 elite chariots were no match for God. Gambler Pharaoh wanted to bet the last of his chips on a win.

“So, the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So, they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then, they said to Moses, ‘Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.’ And Moses said to the people, ‘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.’” Exodus 14:9-14

Do congregations depend on the faith of their leader too much? Each Israelite should have had faith in God by now. God brought plagues on the Egyptians but spared them. The Egyptians had darkness for three days while the Hebrews had light. The Egyptians had fire and hail while the Hebrews had none. The crops and livestock of the Egyptians were decimated while the Hebrews lost none. The Egyptians lost their firstborns. Death did not strike the Hebrews with blood on their doorposts. God had been leading the Israelites by a cloud by day and by a fire by night. Why were they afraid? Why did they turn against Moses?

In any case, Moses calmed them down with words from God. Don’t be afraid. Stand still. See the salvation of the Lord. The Lord will fight for you. Hold your peace.

Once, after we felt authorities in China had made a serious move against us, we debated about leaving for safety’s sake. I asked the Lord to give me a Scripture to direct me. He gave me Exodus 14:13-14, saying that the enemy we saw that day, we would see no more. God fought for us. We stayed another 10 years and all was well.

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. And I indeed will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them. So, I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, his chariots, and his horsemen. Then, the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gained honor for Myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.’” Exodus 14:15-18

The Lord said, “Go forward.” He lifted up his shepherd’s rod toward the sea.

“And 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.” Exodus 14:19-20

The Lord closed the gate behind them with a pillar of a cloud. The Egyptians were in the dark again while the Hebrews enjoyed the light.

“Then, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. So, the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty. And the Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.’ Then, the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.’ And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. And when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So, the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. So, the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus, Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so, the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and His servant Moses.” Exodus 14:21-31

The Red Sea slowly parted overnight as a wind blew on it. The Lord dried up the ground before His people as though rolling out the red carpet for them. Not so, for the Egyptians. He took off their chariot wheels. Then, He buried them at sea. Not one remained. The Israelites saw many of their dead bodies wash up along the seashore. Now, they feared and believed the Lord!

In 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, Paul wrote, “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” Did the people realize these mighty miracles were meant to assure them that God counted them as His children?

Baptism symbolizes new birth. Just as a baby is born physically after the mother’s water breaks, so a new believer in Christ is seen to be reborn spiritually via his or her baptism ceremony.

God was saying to Israel that they no longer belonged to their former evil master. Egypt’s king objectified them. He treated them like objects to satisfy his demented behavior. Pharaoh symbolizes Satan. God set them free from him. God treated them as newborns into His family.

What about you and me? Have we considered all that God has done for us as clear indications that He loves us and has made us members of His family? That eventually, we too, will enter with others who have gone before us to be with our Heavenly Father?

In John 14:1-3, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

“Yes, Lord Jesus, I always want to be where You are. Amen! Thank You for making it happen!”