Exodus 10

Cease and desist!

WEEK 4                                                  Exodus 10  

MONDAY  Reflections

In the United States, a person who owes a company money can send them a letter demanding they never contact them again. This letter is called a Cease and Desist Notice. According to the law, the company can’t try to contact you again. This is good if you have someone wrongfully demanding claims against you. However, if you do this it shuts down every form of possible compromise and leaves the creditor with only one option: to sue you. It forces the creditor to, as it might be said, “call out the big guns.”

At the end of Chapter 10, Pharaoh gives his Cease and Desist Notice. He tells Moses that he will kill him if he sees him again. God isn’t done and He’s now going to bring out, as it were the big guns. Pharaoh thought things were bad when he was dealing with God through Moses, now he is on his own. This sets in motion the last and greatest plague on Egypt. It will show the Egyptians, God is greater than their god of death. 

There are other wonderful discoveries in this chapter. What do you see?

Exo 10:1-29

(1)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:

(2)  And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.

(3)  And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

(4)  Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:

(5)  And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:

(6)  And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.

(7)  And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

(8)  And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?

(9)  And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.

(10)  And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.

(11)  Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

(12)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.

(13)  And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

(14)  And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

(15)  For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

(16)  Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.

(17)  Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

(18)  And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.

(19)  And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

(20)  But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

(21)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

(22)  And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

(23)  They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

(24)  And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.

(25)  And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

(26)  Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.

(27)  But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.

(28)  And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

(29)  And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

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Isaiah 29 Not a Mermaid's Tale

Not a Mermaid's Tale

WEEK 3                                                     Isaiah 29

SATURDAY  Reflections

Ariel, how did the little mermaid get in the Bible (if you're unfamiliar with the fairy tale ignore this)? This name does seem out of place. I did research and the best explanation I found lines up with what Bible Commentator Mathew Henry said, “Ariel may signify the altar of burnt offerings. Let Jerusalem know that outward religious services will not make men free from judgments. Hypocrites never can please God, nor make their peace with him. God had often and long, by a host of angels, encamped round about Jerusalem for protection and deliverance; but now he fought against it.”[1]

This reminds me that you might have a beautiful building and all the right stuff for religious services and the right traditions but if you aren’t serving God faithfully it helps not at all. Yes, God does promise in this chapter judgment on those who do his people harm but his judgment against Israel’s enemies doesn’t excuse Israel’s poor character.

At the end of this chapter, God returns to the promise that he will have a people who shall “will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel”(verse 23).

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[1] Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhc/isaiah/29.htm

Isa 29:1-24
(1)  Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
(2)  Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
(3)  And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
(4)  And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
(5)  Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
(6)  Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
(7)  And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
(8)  It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
(9)  Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
(10)  For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
(11)  And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
(12)  And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
(13)  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
(14)  Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
(15)  Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
(16)  Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
(17)  Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
(18)  And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
(19)  The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
(20)  For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
(21)  That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
(22)  Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
(23)  But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
(24)  They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

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Job 24 For a time

For A Time...

WEEK 3                                                   Job 24

FRIDAY  Reflections

Job complains in this chapter about the general unfairness of the world and the seeming success of the wicked. In this seeming despair, Job recognizes that the wicked may be exalted for a time but it is limited (verse 24). The book of Hebrews reminded us, Moses recognized sin may have pleasures for a time but pleasure or success will not last forever (11:24-26).

Job 24:1-25
(1)  Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?
(2)  Some remove the landmarks; they violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.
(3)  They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge.
(4)  They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide themselves together.
(5)  Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.
(6)  They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the vintage of the wicked.
(7)  They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no covering in the cold.
(8)  They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the rock for want of a shelter.
(9)  They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor.
(10)  They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away the sheaf from the hungry;
(11)  Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
(12)  Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.
(13)  They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
(14)  The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
(15)  The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.
(16)  In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.
(17)  For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.
(18)  He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.
(19)  Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave those which have sinned.
(20)  The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree.
(21)  He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not good to the widow.
(22)  He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no man is sure of life.
(23)  Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.
(24)  They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
(25)  And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?

Acts 4 Communal Church!?

Giving to others.

WEEK 3                                                          Acts 4

THURSDAY  Reflections

The verse in Acts 4:32 has been claimed by many as proof that Christians should be socialist. So much so that I have heard it said in the New Heaven and the New Earth socialism will be the economy of that age. The verse mentions the disciples held all things in common.

 

As a capitalist, I happen to agree. In the age to come, we will be as they were at this time “one in heart and mind.” Today though, we are not of one mind and one thought, so socialism doesn’t work the way it promises (capitalism doesn’t work perfectly either, but that is a discussion for another time).

 

So how should we live in this time of imperfection? As if everything belongs to God! This is how the church responded. It wasn’t that they had communal ownership, but those who had money supplied it to the church. Responsible people in the church distributed it. They lived as if they were family.

 

On a side note, the verses here don’t say that they were taking care of all the poor, but those who were among them. This causes me to believe a church who doesn’t take care of its own is missing the mark, even if they are helping those outside the church.

Act 4:1-37
(1)  And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
(2)  Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
(3)  And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.
(4)  Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
(5)  And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,
(6)  And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
(7)  And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
(8)  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
(9)  If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
(10)  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
(11)  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
(12)  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
(13)  Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
(14)  And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
(15)  But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves,
(16)  Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
(17)  But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.
(18)  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.
(19)  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
(20)  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
(21)  So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.
(22)  For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
(23)  And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.
(24)  And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
(25)  Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
(26)  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
(27)  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
(28)  For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
(29)  And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,
(30)  By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
(31)  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
(32)  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
(33)  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
(34)  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
(35)  And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
(36)  And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
(37)  Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

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Psalm 23 It's not the promises you think!

Is He your shepherd?

WEEK 3                                                    Psalm 23  

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

Psalm 23 is probably the most famous psalm in modern times. It is full of beautiful promises and gentle reassurances. It brings comfort during life's most challenging circumstances. It seems to promise peace and tranquility for everyone, but it doesn't.

 

The sad thing is that many who look to this psalm for comfort are as secure as someone unknowingly passing counterfeit money to a Secret Service Agent. They will be confused, will find the money worthless, and themselves in a heap of trouble. They thought they had money but found they had none.

 

How can this be true? The problem is found in the first verse, "The Lord is my shepherd." It is important to understand if this first part isn't true none of the rest is. If the Lord isn't your shepherd, then a person is in a world of trouble. You see the shepherd is the owner, the master, the lord of the sheep. If someone hasn't made God his Lord and Master then the rest of the psalm doesn't apply.

 

It could be read:

The Lord isn't my shepherd, so I will want.

I will not lie down in green pastures, not be led by calm waters.

My soul is broken, I will go down paths of unrighteousness for my own sake.

I will be stuck in the valley of death, I will fear, God’s rod and staff will terrify me.

I will stand alone before my enemies, I will not be blessed, my cup will be empty.

Goodness and mercy shall flee from me and I will be separated from God forever. 

 

Is the Lord your shepherd? Or not?

Psa 23:1-6

(1)  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

(2)  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

(3)  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

(4)  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

(5)  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

(6)  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.