Feb 28 2012

Exodus 4 – Moses Given Powerful Signs

Moses begins objecting to his mission first by telling the Lord that nobody will believe that He has spoken to him. God answers this one by showing him signs, and telling him of more that He will show him (verses 2-9). He continues to object in verse 10 that he is not eloquent in speech, to which the Lord replies that He will be his mouth and teach him what to say (verse 12). Then, Moses just tells God what is on his mind – he doesn’t want to do it! He angers the Lord when he asks God to send someone else (verse 13), and He tells Moses that his brother Aaron, the Levite, will speak for him, and that Moses “shall be as God to him” (verse 16).

With those seeking his life dead now (verse 19), God tells him he can return to Egypt; and Moses goes back to let his father-in-law, Jethro, know that he will no longer be tending his sheep. God sends Aaron “into the wilderness” to meet him, in order to hear what the lord has said. Aaron and Moses go back and gather the elders, and tell the people all that had happened – showing them the signs. They believed, and “they bowed their heads and worshiped” (verses 29-31).

Much time can (and has) been spent, and even wasted, puzzling over verses 24-26. Both the text and its timing can be confusing. Whenever we come across one of the few passages in scripture that are just that way for us, we always want to ask ourselves the same question. What about the passage is important as it relates to serving the Lord, and therefore, salvation? That criteria will usually help us move on. In this case, all we know for certain is that for whatever reason, Moses had not (at the time that verse 25 refers to) circumcised at least one of his sons. The important point is that Moses’ house was fully following the Lord’s commandments before he went to Egypt to carry out God’s will.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

___________________

image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com. For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Feb 27 2012

Exodus 3 – The Burning Bush

The last time the scripture recorded God speaking was over 400 years ago to Jacob (Israel) to tell him to go ahead and leave Canaan for Egypt. In verse 2, “the angel of the Lord appeared” to Moses at Horeb “in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush”. The ground is holy (verse 5) because of the presence of the Lord, who tells Moses of his plans (verse 8) to deliver “the people of Israel” to the land He promised Abraham would belong to his offspring in Genesis 13:14-17.

When asked His name, the reply in verse 14 “I am who I am” basically means the one who is, always has been, and always will be. It does not mean that Moses did not know who the one true God is. This is how Moses is to refer to “the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” when speaking of Him to his people – as well as to the polytheistic people of the land where they are now captive.

In verses 20-22, God tells Moses how he will deliver them with the power of His hand, and the “victory” over their captors will be signified by their “plundering” them (as is done by victorious armies). But in this case, it will be done simply by the people asking for the treasures! This emphasizes well that when God shows His power, it is awesome indeed!

(Side note: As this chapter introduces the name of Yahweh (the Hebrew contained no consonants, so the Lord is referred to in the text as “YHWH”), you may be interested in a great article on Gordon Franz’s site “Life and Land Seminars”, entitled “Yahweh Inscription Discovered at Mount Sinai!“. Further illustration that although genuine secular evidences are plentiful, men need to take care in trying to use them to prove the Bible is true. His summary at the end of that article is right on the mark! Bear in mind, however, that I do not know if his opinion of claims about the disputed location of Mt. Sinai is correct.)

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

___________________

image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Feb 26 2012

Preview of this week in Exodus \ Feb Week 2 Summary Posted

Did You Know…

…that you can find out what the text of a Bible passage says, just by sending a quick email with just the chapter and verse?

For example, send an email to esvpassages@gnpcb.org with “ESV Joshua 24:14-15” (without the quotes) in the subject, and the folks at Crossway Bibles (it’s actually an automatic service) will reply with the passage’s text!

This week in Exodus

We will begin with the Burning Bush in Exodus, as the Lord speaks to Moses after 400+ years have passed since his talk with Jacob.

We will finish the week with the opening round of the battle of wills between the Lord and Pharaoh in chapter 7, as God prepares to show Pharaoh, His people, and the world that there is only one God – and that He is keeping His promises.

We will learn about the purpose and meaning of the “plagues,” and what is meant by the “hardening” of Pharaoh’s heart (there will surely be more about that in the following week, as well). I hope you will learn as much from this part of God’s word as I am being blessed with. The Bible never stops teaching us, as long as we keep reading it!

Summing up

Each weekend, I am now posting a page-length PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week. I have posted the summary for Week 7 (February Week 2) of the schedule I am following. This short PDF document (less than 2 pages, with the month’s schedule) contains condensed comments about the readings of Genesis chapters 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

___________________
Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com. For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.
/Robert

image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Feb 24 2012

Exodus 2 – The Birth of Moses

Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it.

After he is born, Moses’ mother is unable to hide him after three months, and places him in a basket in the reeds by the riverbank (verse 3). After Pharaoh’s daughter “draws” him out, Moses’ own sister summons the courage to ask her if she should get a Hebrew woman to nurse the child for her (verse 7). So of course, she fetches Moses’ own mother for the task!

Stephen tells us in Acts 7:23, that Moses was 40 years old when verses 11-15 take place; and Moses flees for his life to Midian (where he will stay for another 40 years, as we are told in Acts 7:30). The father of the woman who will become his wife is referred to as Reuel in verse 18, but we will come to know him as Jethro.

God Hears Israel’s Groaning – As the people cry out because of their slavery, verse 24 says that “God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob”. God never forgets. When the scripture says “God remembered,” it means He has decided the time has come for what He wants to happen next concerning that person or event (as in Gen 8:1).

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

___________________

image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Feb 23 2012

Exodus 1 – Israel Increases Greatly in Egypt

Highlights we have passed over in Genesis – As Israel (Jacob) nears death, he takes Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh as his own (Gen 48:5). That is why there is not tribe of Joseph in the “Twelve Tribes of Israel”. These two make up the “half-tribes”. Jacob sets Joseph and Ephraim apart, and once again the younger is blessed above the first-born as he says that “his offspring shall become a multitude of nations” (Gen 48:19). He makes it clear that he is to be buried in Canaan, where his people shall end up, and blesses all of his sons. Chapter 49 is full of poetic imagery and prophecy, much of it (particularly verses 8-12) pointing to the empire of King David, and ultimately, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. In chapter 50, Pharaoh allows Joseph to bury his father in Canaan, and Genesis concludes with the death of Joseph. And so, God’s word picks up 400 years later…

Genesis 15:13-14:
Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

Pharaoh Oppresses Israel

The 12 sons of Israel (Jacob) (and Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh) have long since died; and their descendants, now referred to as “the people of Israel” have multiplied greatly – to the extent that the ruler of Egypt fears their numbers. So they are ruthlessly made slaves (verse 13), and the mid-wives instructed to kill all newborn sons. But the midwives feared God (verse 17), and they let them live. “And the people multiplied greatly and grew very strong” (verse 20), as God had promised Abraham in Genesis 13:16. Pharaoh then ordered his people to cast every son that is born to the Hebrews into the Nile.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

___________________

image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Feb 22 2012

Genesis 46 – Joseph Brings His Family to Egypt

The Lord tells Israel in verse 2 that Egypt is where he should now go, and where he will become a great nation. Remember, God had forbidden his father Isaac to go there during a previous famine (Gen 26:1-5). So Jacob, his sons and daughters, and all of their families set out for Egypt. The Lord, through Moses, remembers his sons – and their sons in the text; and verse 26 tells us that the number of Jacob’s descendants (not including his sons’ wives) was 66. Add Israel himself, Joseph and his two sons, and there were 70 (verse 27). That number will multiply by more that 80,000 – to over 600,000 at Sinai (Num 1:44-46) after Moses has led them out of Egypt in Exodus 12:51.

Joseph and Israel have an emotional reunion in Goshen, and Joseph reveals how they will be (for now) left to their own devices there in verses 31-34 because “every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians”.

(Side note: “Ferrell’s Travel Blog” has several articles, accompanied with some photographs, concerning Goshen. Two that I find interesting are “Why were shepherds detestable to Egyptians?” and “The Land of Rameses“)

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

___________________

image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Feb 21 2012

Genesis 45 – Joseph Provides for His Brothers and Family

Judah’s speech evokes high emotion in Joseph, and he finally reveals himself to his now speechless brothers. When they were brought back to this governor accused of theft, they must have thought that life had turned about as badly as it could get. Now they find out that this powerful ruler is the brother they sold into slavery! But Joseph is quick to reassure them in verses 5 and 7 that God is working through him and intends to continue to do so through their descendants. This does not absolve them of their guilt, but it shows God’s power to use even the worst actions of men for good!

With Pharaoh’s pleasure, and even his own instruction for providing for them generously (verses 16-18), Joseph sends them back to bring their father, Israel and the rest of their families to Egypt to dwell in the land of Goshen. Israel is unbelieving at first, but when convinced, is very happy (verse 28).

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

___________________

image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Feb 20 2012

Genesis 44 – Joseph Tests His Brothers

When Joseph sends them away, he has his steward once again place their money in their sacks. But this time, he has his silver cup placed in Benjamin’s bag and he has them followed, accused of theft, and brought back. The brothers who have carried the burden of their guilt for so long are convinced that God himself has brought this on them for what they did to Joseph so many years ago.

Joseph tells them that the rest of them can go, but Benjamin will remain as his slave. The brothers are purposely placed in the position of losing their younger brother – and facing Jacob’s (Israel’s) devastation. Judah begins a passionate plea of repentance in verse 18, offering himself in his younger brother’s place. Remember, it was Judah’s idea to have Joseph sold instead of killing him in Gen 37:26-28.

The change that has taken place in his brothers is no doubt what Joseph was looking (and hoping) for.

(Side note: Here is a link to a lengthy, but very interesting article from the publishers of “Bible and Spade” magazine called “The Joseph Narrative (Genesis 37, 39–50)” that includes information about Egyptian captives from Canaan)

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

___________________

Feb 19 2012

Preview – “Jumping Forward” to Exodus \ Feb Week 1 Summary Posted

Building Better Bible Habits

Three quick tips for making Bible reading a habit in your life

Plan – to keep the “appointment”
- Set aside a time (maybe even a second, backup time) that is just for you to spend with the Lord each day. Repetition, as with anything, is the key. It takes 2-3 weeks of doing something regularly to make it a habit in your life.
“Arm” yourself – keep it handy!
- I love reading from my regular “hold it in my hands” Bible. But I make use of free Bible apps on my electronic devices, so no matter where I go I can use “down time” to read the Bible whenever I want.
Listening counts!
- If you have never tried audio, give it a shot! It is a very handy way to get your “reading” in. There are many resources for your PC, eReader, phone or tablet. Many of them pay for great voices to do the reading. YouVersion.com and ESVBible.org are just two of many providers.

Remember, even a little bit of reading any part of the Bible each day is better than none at all. Hearing from the Lord is what matters!

As for this blog’s “jump” to Exodus:

We will move on from Genesis 46 on Wednesday, all the way to Exodus and the story of its author Moses. Why skip so many chapters? As this plan attempts to help us get the story of the Bible as a whole this year, some choices must be made as to where to move forward. That does not mean the chapters we will jump over are unimportant, though. As the longest book of the Bible in terms of time-span, Genesis covers a couple thousand years; and it is proper to note that from the end of the book (chapter 50) to Exodus 1, about 400 years pass before the Lord’s word to us begins again. This is because the events of those years were not what the Lord intended for Moses to relate to us for our instruction concerning salvation and the coming of the Messiah and our savior, Jesus Christ. That story resumes in Exodus 1, where we will take it up on Thursday.

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a page-length PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week. I have posted the summary for Week 6 (February Week 1) of the schedule I am following. This short PDF document contains condensed comments about Genesis chapters 29, 30, 31, 32 and 37, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

Feb 17 2012

Genesis 43 – Joseph’s Brothers Return to Egypt

The grain that Joseph’s brothers brought back from Egypt has run out. Jacob (who is referred to as “Israel” more times in this chapter than previously) knows that the brothers must go back for more, but it is Judah who speaks up convinces his father to entrust Benjamin to him (verse 9). In stark contrast to Reuben, he places the responsibility for the boy’s safety on his own shoulders; and Israel is resigned that there just is no choice, and fears he may not see them again (verse 14). So he sends them with gifts and a double portion of money, and they return to Joseph.

When they are brought to Joseph’s house, their fears mount (verse 18), but instead of harsh treatment, they are fed and treated well. Joseph’s love and compassion for his younger brother is great, and Benjamin receives five times the amount of food that his brothers get. Joseph has plans for little brother.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

___________________

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com. For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.
/Robert