Exodus 15-18 Drink, Food, Fellowship, And Delegation

Psalm 12:6-8 Kept Safe According to God's Words

12:6 “The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 You shall keep us safe, O LORD, You shall preserve us from this generation forever. 8 The wicked strut freely on every side, when vileness is exalted among the sons of men."

Observations: 12:1-5 See the previous post for vv 1-5, where God protects the godly from those who oppress them.

12:6-8 The psalmist puts his trust and hope in the revealed character and words of God. He expresses confidence that God will keep His people safe and preserve them from the wicked around them. When a culture honors what is vile or worthless the wicked increase and oppress the righteous, hence the need for God's help.

Application: Trust in God's words for deliverance from a wicked culture, and seek to exalt that which is worthy and honorable.

Prayer: God, thanks for communicating Your trustworthy and pure words, so I can hope in them and You, in the midst of a wicked and worthless generation of oppressors. Amen.

Proverbs 4:5-8 What Is Your Supreme Passion?

4:5 “Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don't forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth. 6 Don't forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.

7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding. 8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honor, when you embrace her.”

Observation: Wisdom is choosing the right objectives and the right means of obtaining them. Are there any of the four listed benefits of wisdom you don't want? So how do you get it? The previous verses in Proverbs 4 give some ideas, as do the previous three posts. If you haven't paid anything to get it, you don't have it. It's not just enough to get it, you've got to esteem it, use it, embrace it, love (be loyal to) it.

Application: Is wisdom at the top of your To-Get List? Are you getting it? How? Prove it.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thanks that You offer supreme wisdom. Help me not fritter away the pennies of my life on pointless pursuits. Amen.

Exodus 15-18 Drink, Food, Fellowship, And Delegation

Exodus 15 Singing to Sighing

15:1 "Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, "I will sing to Yahweh, for He has triumphed gloriously: The horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea. 2 Yah is my strength and song, He has become my salvation: This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father`s God, and I will exalt Him. 3 Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is His name. 4 Pharaoh`s chariots and his host has He cast into the sea; 6 Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power, Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces. 7 In the greatness of Your excellency, You overthrow those who rise up against You: You send forth Your wrath. 11 Who is like You, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, awesome in praises, doing wonders? 12 You stretched out Your right hand. The earth swallowed them. 13 "You, in Your hesed/loyal love, have led the people that You have redeemed. You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.

14 The peoples (Canaanites) have heard. They tremble...16 Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of Your arm they are as still as a stone;...Yahweh, until the people pass over who You have purchased. 17 You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance, The place, Yahweh, which You have made for yourself to dwell in; The sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established. 18 Yahweh shall reign forever and ever."

22 Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they couldn`t drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. 24 The people murmured against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" 25 Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There he made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there he tested/refined them; 26 and he said, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in His eyes, and will pay attention to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you." 27 They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm-trees: and they encamped there by the waters."

Observations: This song of praise focuses on the attributes and actions of God in redeeming and leading His people (not so much about how the Israelites feel about it). It looks forward to the continuation of the fulfillment of God's promise to bring them into the Promised Land.

15:24 Different tune, a whole lot worse. From singing God's praise they switch to singing the blues. God let them experience need so they would call out in dependence upon Him (who just so gloriously delivered them). Instead they murmur against Moses.

15:25 Moses calls out to God who sweetens the very water they were complaining about. God says He is refining them (metallurgy). They were doubting God's goodness and complaining instead of calling out to Him. When will they/we ever learn?

15:26 God graciously gives yet another promise.

Question: How many of the attributes and actions of God listed above have you personally experienced?

Application: If we focus on who God has revealed Himself to be and what He has done in our life, the difficulties come into perspective as just a test.

Prayer: Awesome Incomparable God, You are One of a kind. Thanks for redeeming and leading me. May I faithfully follow You without faltering. Amen.

Exodus 16 More Murmuring and More Manna

16:1 "They took their journey from Elim, to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai...2 The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness; 3 "We wish that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger." 4 Then said Yahweh to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day`s portion every day, that I may test/refine them, to the intent that they will walk in My law. 5 It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily."

8...Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against Him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh." 9 Moses said to Aaron, "Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, `Come near before Yahweh, for He has heard your murmurings.`" 10...behold, the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud. 12 Speak to them, saying, `At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God.`" 13 It happened at evening that quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp. 14 When the dew had gone, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground. 15 When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, "What is it?" Moses said to them, "It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat." 16 This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: "Gather of it everyone according to his eating...19 Moses said to them, "Let no one leave of it until the morning." 20 Notwithstanding they didn`t listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was angry with them.

23 He said to them, "This is that which Yahweh has spoken, `Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning." 24 They laid it up until the morning, as Moses asked, and it didn`t become foul, neither was there any worm in it. 25 Moses said, "Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to Yahweh. Today you shall not find it in the field. 26 Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day is the Sabbath. In it there shall be none." 27 It happened on the seventh day, that some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. 28 Yahweh said to Moses, "How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? 29 Behold, because Yahweh has given you the Sabbath, therefore He gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Everyone stay in his place. Let no one go out of his place on the seventh day." 30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

31 The house of Israel called the name of it Manna, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey. 32 Moses said, "This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, `Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt."

Observations: 16:5 God is purifying and refining His people in daily training them to walk in His law.

16:8 We tend to blame others for our problems.

16:26 God is giving them their daily manna, except on the Sabbath, when there was none, and the sixth day's double gathering lasted an extra day. He is teaching them obedience, but some don't get it.

Exodus 17 Water and War

17:1 "All the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to Yahweh`s commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?" 3 The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?" 4 Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, "What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." 5 Yahweh said to Moses, "Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink." Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

7 He called the name of the place Massah (trial), and Meribah (quarrel), because the children of Israel quarreled, and because they tested Yahweh, saying, "Is Yahweh among us, or not?" 8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God`s rod in my hand. 10 So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 It happened, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses` hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset. 13 Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. 14 Yahweh said to Moses, "Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky." 15 Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Yahweh our Banner 16 He said, "Yah has sworn: `Yahweh will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.`"

Observations: 17:1 God commands them to go where there is no water.

17:3 If God wanted the people dead, He would have left them in Egypt or by the Sea. Israel causes their own pain by failing to perceive God's purposes for them.

17:11-13 Conquest is a team sport. God makes it clear that He energizes the sword; our job is to constantly pray and wield it.

17:15 Yahweh our Banner/Ensign/Standard, like the Roman Legion's Eagle, the ensign embodied the honor and rallying point of the people.

17:16 Amalek descended from Esau. Attacking the descendants of Jacob, God's chosen people, has dire consequences.

Application: We doubt God's presence when we focus on ourselves instead of Him.

Prayer: God my Banner, thanks that You go with me, provide for me, and fight my battles through me; may my honor be loyalty to You. Amen.

Exodus 18 Fellowship and Delegation

18:1 "Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses` father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt. 6 He said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her. 8 Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel`s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them. 9 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done 10 Jethro said, "Blessed be Yahweh...11 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them." 12 Jethro, Moses` father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God...13...Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening...15 Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make them know the statutes of God, and his laws." 17 Moses` father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you do is not good. 18 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone. 19 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God. 20 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 23 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace." 24 So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said. 26 They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27 Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way into his own land."

Observations: 18:10-11 Fellowship means to have in common. As Moses shared his experience with God, Jethro comes to know the True God. That's the way faith should be shared.

18:21 Note the characteristics of the people God can use. True of you?

18:23 God guides Moses through Jethro in the art of delegation (not abdication). We all have limits.

Question: How has God been good to you lately?

Application: Faithfully trusting God gives us a testimony of His goodness to us, so we can share our faith with others. No trust, no testimony.

Prayer: Great God, may I always be in a position where You can pour out Your goodness on me, so I can introduce others to You. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God is very interested in showing that He is Supreme, so others will trust Him, rather than false gods. He leads His people into difficultly so they will become more dependent upon Him. He dislikes disobedience, but tolerates it if we're on the right track. He trains us to be dependent on a daily basis, by giving us daily provision and protection. He communicates His will through others at times especially regarding our blind spots. He is not shy about punishing evil and those who attack His people. 

Us in a nutshell: We tend to have goldfish memories when it comes to trusting God: singing His praises one day, and singing the blues the next; we are also myopic about his promises, losing sight of them as soon as a difficulty looms into view. We have the responsibilities to pray and poke the pointy end of the sword into the other guy; God has the responsibility to ensure our safety and success. 

Where to Go for More:
Truthbase.net

Genesis 46-47 Differential Blessings and Flat Tax

Psalm 9:1-8 The Just Judge Does What's Right

9:1 ”I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart. I will tell of all Your marvelous works. 2 I will be glad and rejoice in You. I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. 3 When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish in Your presence. 4 For You have maintained my just cause. You sit on the throne judging righteously. 5 You have rebuked the nations. You have destroyed the wicked. You have blotted out their name forever and ever. 6 The enemy is overtaken by endless ruin. The very memory of the cities which you have overthrown has perished. 7 But Yahweh reigns forever. He has prepared His throne for judgment. 8 He will judge the world in righteousness. He will administer judgment to the peoples in uprightness."

Observation: God's justice is a cause for joy among the upright in heart, especially when He rescues them from unjust situations. While awaiting justice, we can rejoice in who He is, and we will eventually see what He does. Remember Sodom from the last post?

See: Glorifying God the Judge

Application: Rejoice in God's past, present, and future judgment.

Prayer: O Most High God, help me view right and wrong through Your eyes, so I can trust and rejoice in Your justice. Amen.

Proverbs 3:9-10 Honoring God in Giving

3:9 “Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase: 10 so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine."

Observations: 3:9 Our giving should honor God. The verb “honor” is a Piel Imperative, meaning it's a command stressing the intentional act of honoring or glorifying, or making Him seen as great. Giving God the first of our increase acknowledges that all we have is His. God doesn't need our stuff, but we need to give it to Him.

3:10 The consequence of placing God first in our giving is that He blesses abundantly, giving us more than we need, so we can be even more generous with others, resulting in even more praise being given to Him.

Application: Does your use of money honor God? See Giving to God.

Prayer: Giver of all that is good, may You be honored and glorified by my giving of what You've given to me. Amen.

Genesis 46-47 Differential Blessings and Flat Tax

Genesis 46 Israel and Sons Protected and Prospered

46:1 "Israel traveled with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. 2 God spoke to Israel in the visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob!” He said, “Here I am.” 3 He said, “I am God, the God of your father. Don’t be afraid to go down into Egypt, for there I will make of you a great nation. 4 I will go down with you into Egypt. I will also surely bring you up again. Joseph will close your eyes.”

5 Jacob rose...sons of Israel carried Jacob, their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 They took their livestock, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt—Jacob, and all his seed with him. 8 These are the names of the children of Israel, who came into Egypt...26 All the souls who came with Jacob into Egypt, who were his direct descendants, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were sixty-six. 27 The sons of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two souls. All the souls of the house of Jacob, who came into Egypt, were seventy.

31 Joseph said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, “I will go up, and speak with Pharaoh, and will tell him, ‘My brothers, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 These men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.’ 33 It will happen, when Pharaoh summons you, and will say, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 that you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers:’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Observations: 42:2 God confirmed the change of direction and location. In Gen 35:1 He had told him to stay in the land. Now God is clearly giving him new marching orders. It is impossible to miss the will of God if you're seeking God.
46:34 Note how God is using what could be viewed as difficulty and discrimination to preserve and protect His people from becoming unholy (which would set them up for judgement rather than blessing). Egyptians considered the bull sacred, and sheep can destroy cattle pastureland. Besides, what use is a wool sweater in Egypt?

Application: Don't doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light. We frequently find ourselves in situations not to our liking. But if you've prayed for, and God has guided you to your present situation, don't leave unless you are totally convinced His will for you has changed. You might be missing out on blessings.

See: Will of God in TOYL and Will of God Part 1 and Part 2 (the best one), all on Truthbase.net.

Prayer: Giver of all that is good, I thank You that I can trust You for clear guidance on what You want me to do. Help me avoid the sin of presumption. Amen.

Genesis 47 Flat Tax=20% Clergy Exempt

47:3 "Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, both we, and our fathers.” 4 They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to live as foreigners in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks. For the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now therefore, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” 5 Pharaoh spoke to Joseph...Let them dwell in the land of Goshen. If you know any able men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”

7 Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many are the days of the years of your life?” 9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred thirty years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” 10 Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. 11 Joseph placed his father and his brothers, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 Joseph nourished his father, his brothers, and all of his father’s household, with bread, according to their families.

13 There was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very severe...14 Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan...and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. 15...all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, “Give us bread, for why should we die in your presence? For our money fails.” 16...I will give you food for your livestock, if your money is gone.” 19 Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharaoh. 20 So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh...21 As for the people, he moved them to the cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end of it. 22 Only he didn’t buy the land of the priests, for the priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and ate their portion which Pharaoh gave them. 23 Then Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have bought you and your land today for Pharaoh. Behold, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. 24 It will happen at the harvests, that you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts will be your own...25 They said, “You have saved our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” 26 Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. Only the land of the priests alone didn’t become Pharaoh’s.

27 Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. 28 Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred forty-seven years.29 The time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, “If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don’t bury me in Egypt, 30 but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place.” He said, “I will do as you have said.” 31 He said, “Swear to me,” and he swore to him. Israel bowed himself on the bed’s head.'

Observations: You'd have to be as blind as a mummy to not see the contrast between the prosperity of the seventy member Israelite clan, (living in the best land, management jobs, food in the midst of famine), and the Egyptians (selling their land and themselves as slaves for bread, impoverished, and starving). Why the difference? God is fulfilling His promise to bless.

47:9-10 Jacob views life as a sojourn or pilgrimage; he's just passing through. After Jacob blesses him, Pharaoh winds up owning all of Egypt, lot, lock, stock, and bodies.

47:29 Jacob is still mindful of the promise God made to Abe in Genesis 15 and him later, that Israel would go back to the promised land.

Application: If we're following God both we, and those around us will get blessed, regardless of the outlook.

Prayer: God who keeps His promises, I praise You that I can trust You to protect and prosper me, even though I live in troubled times. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: He communicates His will so we can obey it; He blesses His people, frequently at the expense of those who don't worship Him. 

Us in a nutshell: We need to be in a place of blessing, and stay there until God moves us; as we follow God, we might be considered an abomination  (which isn't necessarily a bad thing) to those who don't follow Him; God uses His people to bless others.