Moses's Relationship With God

In Exodus Chapter 3, God appeared to Moses through a burning bush. Imagine turning aside to see

why a plant on fire is not burning up and God starts talking to you. This might be a tad bit startling! Then imagine that God commissions you for a huge project. You might be asking yourself "Is this for real?", "Is this too big for me?", "How the heck can I do this?" These were all questions on Moses's mind.  Imagine saying to God:

22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all. Exodus 5:23-23 (NIV)

Moses was not some superhero in a red cape. He wasn't sure God's plan was working. He was a man but when he had doubts he didn't call up a therapist, counselor, priest, psychiatrist, best buddy or even talk to himself. He didn't crank out tweets and Facebook rants on the injustice of Pharaoh. He didn't depend on the cable news media to keep in up on the Goshen news from Sinai. He talked to God. That is where he knew he got the best answers and the best solutions. That is meekness.

If God gives someone an assignment, he will certainly provide the grace to carry it out. God spent a lot of time working with Moses.  God had heard the cry of the Israelites who were complaining about the oppression bearing down on their lives. He was aware of what was going on and he enlisted Moses to help get them out of Goshen and back to the promised land. He warned Moses that Pharaoh was not going to cooperate with them but he told Moses he would provide him with miraculous displays of power.

In Genesis 6:1-8 God explained his relationship with the Israelites to Moses:

Then the LORD (Yahweh) said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God (Elohim) spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD (Yahweh): 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by my name JEHOVAH (Yahweh) was I not known to them (could be a self-evident rhetorical question mark here). 4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD(Yahweh), and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God (Elohim): and ye shall know that I am the LORD (Yahweh) your God (Elohim), which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD (Yahweh).*

God is 'Yahweh' to us today. He is relational. Yes, He is an almighty God, a creator God, but His ultimate desire is a Father to His people. He has done so much for us in the new covenant. He has and will continue to bring us up and out from under any burden and free us from any bondage. God has and will actively retrieve us with his long arm. He has and will continue to think of us as His people and He is and will continue to be our God.  As to the land and heritage we have now, He says it best:

Ephesians 1:18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance (heritage) in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places (the promised land of spiritual blessings).

Ephesians 2:5-7 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

  *Yahweh is God's personal name. He has a relationship with His people. Elohim is His creation name as he created all that we see. El Shaddai represents His strength, the strongest in the universe.

Verily, Verily

In the gospel of John the words: "verily,verily" are found 25 times (LINK). The definition of the word

"verily" is 'truly' or 'surely'. Since it is used twice, it has a double emphasis. The Greeks used the Hebrew word 'amen' for 'verily'. It is the same in Latin and English. It is a unique word.

In the verses that it is used twice, it is like a trumpet sounding to call attention to the truth. God is calling attention to the importance of what is said like in John 14:12:

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

This breath-taking verse is talking about anyone who believes in Jesus Christ. He said "the works that I do shall he do also".  Jesus Christ did some pretty amazing things when he walked the earth.  Now he is sitting at the right hand of God. God doesn't have a hand (God is spirit) so this is a figure of speech indicating Christ's position of responsibility. Those whom he is Lord over will do the same works as that he did and even greater works. Because of Christ's position now, his work has expanded beyond one person and has the potential to continue to expand as people rise up and believe this verse. Verily, verily, this is a important verse!

Did God Harden Pharaoh's Heart?

The same sun that melts wax, hardens clay
 (Origen On First Principles 3.1.11)

Have you ever dealt with a difficult person and have had to finally come to the realization that no matter

what you did or said to them, they would always be difficult? Some hearts are like big boulders, impossible to move. They would sooner roll over you than listen to something contrary to their way of thinking.

This morning I got up and read some posts from some of my blogging friends. I am so thankful to have met some wonderful people who ask God questions when they read the Word. It seems that Moses was always asking God questions. This could not be said about Pharaoh, even after he saw miracle after miracle in his interactions with Moses when Israel needed to leave Egypt. 

In front of Pharaoh, Moses threw down his rod and it became a serpent. What was Pharaoh's response? He called the magicians and they threw down their rods and they became serpents. Then Moses' rod gobbled up their rods! Moses then turned their precious Nile into blood and the magicians did their enchantments in response. Several days later Moses multiplied frogs and so did the magicians. The next day Moses removed the frogs:

Exodus 8:9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God.

Pharaoh got quite an education, was he thankful for it? Several times in Exodus, the text reads that it was God who hardened Pharaoh's heart against letting the children of Israel go back to the country that God had promised them. In other places, it reads that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. It seems to me that God was giving Pharaoh and all who looked on an opportunity to see God, but Pharaoh was having none of it. Instead he decided for himself how he reacted. That is his problem, not God's.

In the next episode, when lice poured in all over the land of Israel, even the magicians threw up their hands:

Exodus 8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

The magicians recognized that God was involved. God is love. God doesn't cause men to reject Him. People reject Him. Pharaoh was responsible for his own heart. There are three Hebrew words used for 'to harden' in this record. Putting them together it can be seen that he allowed his heart to tighten up and become severe and heavy (Link).

By our own choice, the sinews of our heart can remain tender to God because we are strengthened by the work of Jesus Christ and the presence of the holy spirit and the knowledge of His Word that has been provided.  With thankfulness, we can ask God questions and expect answers knowing that with all that we have today he loves us and certainly does not cause hardening of the heart. In today's world, this is a great aerobic-like lesson of grace when we allow the fresh air of God to bless our lives.

God's Word is So Simple, It is Not Rocket Science-It Doesn't have to Be!

God's Word is God! John 1:1 states this beautifully and simply!:

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

If you go type in this verse in an internet search, this verse becomes one of the most complicated verses in the Bible.  It is incredibly discouraging to read man's multiple interpretations of this verse. Man is the culprit when it comes to complicating God's Word. Man has invented the 'contradictions' that some talk about. It causes so much division among Christians.

God is God- period! He created the heavens and the earth! Have you ever looked at things that God has made like the moon, the sun, trees, fish, humans and blue sky? It is amazing to consider the creation and how magnificent it is. Why would his Word be any different?

As I slowly worked through Genesis and now moving on into Exodus, it is even more apparent to me how faithful and loving God is. He hasn't changed. I've spent so much time in the New Testament for most of my life.  The context of the Word of God extends from Genesis to Revelation, so even though we live after the ascension of Jesus Christ and before his return, the Old Testament has meaning for us.

Context is very important. So often people take one verse and spin a whole theological doctrine out of it. I love context. The Word has context. Once we have the context, a  single verse will mean so much more.  Last night before I went to sleep, I read a verse in Colossians about how God has delivered us from the power of darkness and as I read the context around it, I thought of the children of Israel in Exodus and their rescue. It is not rocket science and I don't have to reinvent the wheel! It is gorgeous!

He Prayed For You!

Great verse! I stumbled upon this yesterday while reading about how Christ prayed, what he prayed for and what he did not pray for in John 17. Verse 20 just totally caught my breath!

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Jesus Christ was praying for his people and those who believe their words. Since we are reading John's words in the gospel we have to realize that Jesus Christ actually prayed for us! Hey! The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16b)! If there ever was a righteous man, it was Jesus Christ! and He prayed for us!

God and Moses- Application

After Joseph, things really went downhill for the Israelites. Moses, by a miracle of God, had survived and like Joseph, was involved somewhat in the court of Pharaoh. It was not however, an exact comparison, but it gave Moses reason to think he could help his Israelite brothers and sisters.

In Acts 7, there is a record of his venturing out to check on his brethren.

23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? Acts 7:23-28

The incident that ensued, resulting in trouble with Pharaoh and the failure of the Israelites involved to see anything but intrusion on Moses part, became discouragement to Moses and what he thought his calling was all about. He was alone and on the run. God had not appeared to Moses yet from the burning bush, so he had not received the detailed plans of God as to how he was to help his brothers and sisters.  That would come another 40 years later when the Israelites cried for help. In the meantime, Moses found life and family in Midian that kept him busy and learning.

It is important to understand and realize that people don't 'call' people to do God's work. God does and He is the one who provides the timing, strength, learning and support to carry His plan out!  People who love God and "have it in their heart" to help can enter into the rest and ease of God's peace knowing that God will provide the right timing, place, people and details that guarantee success. It's a matter of  listening to the still small voice ( check out Elijah in I Kings 19:9-18 which is a similar predicament) not the 'naysayers'. It helps to ignore them! Focusing in on our relationship with God is not dependent on what others think and provides very rich moments in life.

Moses- His Background

In Genesis, the lives of many people are recorded, starting from the first man and woman in the beginning and ending with the formation of a nation of God's people. Exodus focuses primarily on one man in a relationship with God, leading his people out from bondage in a land controlled by others, toward a life of freedom and establishment.

Moses life scheme is interesting*.  He was raised in the courts of a pharaoh with his mom as a nanny. He had privilege, wealth and education. His mom would have taught him about God and the people he came from. He lived 40 years in that environment. When he saw an Egyptian abusing one of his own people he got involved and killed the Egyptian. His own people did not consider his intervention heroic and Moses ended up alone and in trouble. He fled Egypt to Midian (Arabia). There he spent another 40 years as a shepherd, in an entirely different environment than his first 40 years. He worked in an rough, rugged country entirely different that what he was used to.

Who were the people of Midian? In Genesis 25:1-6, we can find out where they came from:

Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

God is the great weaver of His word.  The history of the Old Testament people is interwoven and great learning for us.  I don't have to understand everything or speculate why God did some things. If we just keep reading things become clearer. We humanoids love to speculate and make judgements. We can even go so far as to go off the rails on God's Word at times, but thankfully if we develop meekness along the way, our loving God has some nice little gems awaiting for us throughout His Word. God never changes in faithfulness and love for His people.

*Interesting Link from Josephus (historian):Chapter 9:3   http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ant-2.htm

Love of God

In my Bible, in I John, I went through the text and colored a  '♥' on top of the word 'love' every time it is used. Looking over the pages, it is plain to see that this is a big topic in 1st John! The hearts are everywhere!

There's a wonderful verse in I John 10:

¹⁰ Herein is ♥, not that we ♥d God, but that he ♥d us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The emphasis in this verse is on God's love for us, not on how much we love Him! Truly, if all we had was the realization of  how much God has loved us in providing what he has through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, we would be incredibly blessed! God LOVES us! That is a big deal! We can really love others too! (I John 4:11) when we are free in the knowledge of how much God loves us.

Love from God is not hurried or make us defensive, and is not a cause for comparisons among ourselves. There is no need to boast about it or elevate ourselves over others. It certainly is unselfish and keeps us calm, peaceful and un-reactive to things we don't need to react to.  It certainly does not invent things about others. Love from God just never never fails because it is not filtered through 'fear' and we are able to freely and boldly love as God loves!

Exiting Genesis- On to Exodus

Studying Genesis has been a wonderful experience. I have learned much and there is a whole lot more to learn. I have been so thrilled to see the grace of God in His foundational book. Yes, Genesis is the 'Old' Testament, but it is still about a God who is faithful and loving in a world that is much less than perfect.

God's people never have to be static. Gaining entrance into different avenues of learning is important in life and knowing when to move on is even more important. Sometimes we find ourselves involved in something that we enjoy, so we stay awhile. Nothing stays the same and if we are too dug in too much it is hard to see beyond the limits.  God's blessings are dynamic and He will help us rearrange and remove limits.  That is part of life. It is our opportunity to grow. The resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ blew open 'the sky's the limit' cliche.

After Joseph and his generation died in Egypt and other rulers rose up that had not known Joseph and the good that he did for Egypt, things got quite a bit tougher for the Israelites. God was still around but the environment became more pressurized and unfriendly. God could still work in that setting as evidenced in Exodus chapter 1:12:

¹² But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

Things in and of themselves are not necessarily ruts, but they can become one easily if we don't watch it. One man's run is another man's rut. We all have different needs and paths for growth. When the telltales signs of the winds of change start to blow we need to pay attention and listen to God for direction. Trusting in Him in our prayer life and learning, He will provide 'plain path'.

In chapters 1-2 of Exodus, the record of the birth of Moses is illuminating. The ruler of Egypt had asked the midwives to kill all the male babies that were born in that time period. Moses was born at a dangerous time. Mose's mother hid him for 3 months and then set him afloat on the Nile with sister Miriam looking on. Pharoah's daughter happened to find Moses when she heard him crying. Mose's tears in the reeds that day on the Nile meant big things for the Israelite nation and the Christ line . She decided to take Moses as her own and even hired Mose's mother (unbeknownst to Pharoah's daughter) to be the nanny. Moses was then safe from the slaughter that was going on.  Moses was educated and brought up in the privileges of Pharoah's house. Eventually Moses would be the man who would lead the children of Israel out from under the bondage of the Egyptians and back toward the land of God's promise.

Fruitfulness

Yesterday, I went looking for raspberries and found many arching boughs of those little red gems. They are so pretty when still attached to the plant. It doesn't take long however that, once they are collected,  

they start to look different, not having the sustenance of the plant. Some of the more invisible creatures (mold, bacteria etc) of this world start to take over and they don't last long.

The word 'fruitful' appears 15 times in Genesis. As I started reading in Exodus, I noticed in the 7th verse of chapter one, the word 'fruitful' again in reference to the children of Israel after the Joseph generation had died off. They abounded even when the pressure was on. The more they were pressured, the more they multiplied and grew (Exodus 1:12). 

And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Exodus 1:7

In Genesis 1:28, Adam and Eve are told to be fruitful, to multiply, to replenish (fill), to subdue (must have had some things to subdue), and to have dominion over the earth. They enjoyed fellowship with God and life was great. Then they were seduced by another entity away from trusting in God and in doing so transferred authority to  God's adversary. Things did a 180• turn. They lost their connection to God and became subject to a problematic world with all the pressures of evil. They then needed more help with subduing things and having dominion.

Having lost the connection of spirit with God, God only could communicate to those whom had the spirit upon them (Check out numbers 11! for some interesting examples) The spirit mostly came upon those who were to speak for God to others.  Joseph was a great example in Genesis as he walked with God and became the fruitful bough of Jacob's family. It is interesting to read about Abimelech in Genesis 20 who spoke reproving words to Abraham because of a conversation he had with God. If he hadn't had that conversation would Abraham have eventually obtained the  fulfillment of God's promise of fruitfulness in Genesis 17:6? Take a look at Noah (Genesis 9:1) and Jacob (Genesis 35:11).

The world is still full of pressures and downright evil. There is no change in that. However in this day, the spirit of God is poured forth to everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead after having the full thrust of evil put on his shoulders. We have the gift of holy spirit. We are connected to the branch and we have all the benefits of his sustenance.

Colossians 1:10-13That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

'Male and Female Created He Them"

In the first chapter of Genesis, in a general description of creation, there is a reference to the creation of man:

²⁷ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

God created Adam out of the dust of the ground. God then took some of Adam and made Eve. These days everyone is worried about equality. God had no problem with equality. The first two humans were made out of the same stuff. This is reflected in the New Testament also:

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 

We are all made of the same stuff.

God is spirit (John 4:24) not flesh. When God was talking about creating man in His own 'image', He wasn't referring to physical flesh. 'Image' is something that represents something else; it is what is perceived.  When God created male and female he meant that they would reflect Him. They would be the image of Him. God is love and man or woman can represent God's love. God is light and man or woman can represent His light. God is powerful and humans can represent His power.

I John 4:16,17 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

In Genesis chapter 2 verse 24, God fills in the details of His human creation and says they were to become 'one flesh'. What does God mean when he says 'shall be one flesh'? It must mean something more than just producing an Eve from a piece of Adam.

Genesis 2:23-24 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 

Ephesians 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. 

Two shall move as one. Men and women are not alike in the sense that they have characteristics that are distinctly male or female. God designed Eve as a help meet for Adam.  The word 'meet' is 'suitable'.  Eve was Adam's complement.  To become 'one flesh', a relationship must develop based on love and respect in order to move as one.

In the garden of Eden, things got messy when the whole incident with the serpent occurred. The consequences of that mess had it's affects on the male/female relationship. Conflict, blame and pressure were added to the mix. This always happens when someone adds, subtracts and changes God's Word.

God didn't change and His word doesn't change. Humans have a choice: to believe or not to believe.