A Song to Teach Every Generation.

A Song to Teach Every Generation. Exodus 15:1-19.

The sea churned as the huge walls of water came crashing down on the Egyptian army. The noise alone was great enough to send people running along the sea side to get a glimpse of the aftermath.

Millions of people lined the shores watching waves spreading out from the center of the sea upon which they, themselves, previously walked. The Egyptian army was defeated; drowned in the depth of the sea. God had defeated their enemy.

Shock registered upon the faces of all of Israel. Their enemy they feared was defeated and salvation was theirs. As Moses said, God delivered and they were safe.

So what now? They had witnessed the saving hand of God and joy filled their heart. One person started to sing a song and soon a group of people had comprised a song that was sung by the firesides that night.

Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spoke, saying:
“I will sing to the LORD, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!

The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

The LORD is a man of war; The LORD is His name. Exodus 15:1-3(NKJV)

There is no greater instrument than the instrument of the voice when influenced by the heart. When a person is full of delight, their heart is light. When delivered from circumstances, people desire to let it out, they have to tell someone and a song to the Lord is a correct response.

Jehovah is His name; “the existing one.” Israel had learned to respect their God and had found a new reverence towards Him. Yet, He was not just God, He was their God and now they had begun to treat Him as their God.

This is the result of the trial they faced. Though tough and insurmountable, Israel had learned to respect God.

Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea. The depths have covered them; They sank to the bottom like a stone.

“Your right hand, O LORD, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O LORD, has dashed the enemy in pieces.

And in the greatness of Your excellence You have overthrown those who rose against You; You sent forth Your wrath; It consumed them like stubble.

And with the blast of Your nostrils The waters were gathered together; The floods stood upright like a heap; The depths congealed in the heart of the sea.

The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy them.’

You blew with Your wind, The sea covered them; They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

“Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness,  Fearful in praises, doing wonders? Exodus 15:4-11(NKJV)

At one point in their captivity the Children of Israel were willing to comply with their task master. They had food on their table; they were able to participate in commerce. There was no need for a God; the comforts and safety in Egypt replaced God.

It was only after God hardened the Pharaoh’s heart did they see the world of Egypt for what it was. Egyptians took advantage of God’s people and when the mistreatment began, suddenly the love affair with Egypt was gone; life had become unbearable.

This passage of the song now shows their alliance and allegiance to a different world, the world that belongs to God; a world they would separate themselves to.

You stretched out Your right hand; The earth swallowed them.

You in Your mercy have led forth The people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation.

“The people will hear and be afraid; Sorrow will take hold of the inhabitants of Philistia.

Then the chiefs of Edom will be dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, Trembling will take hold of them;  All the inhabitants of Canaan will melt away.

Fear and dread will fall on them; By the greatness of Your arm They will be as still as a stone, Till Your people pass over, O LORD, Till the people pass over Whom You have purchased. Exodus 15:12-16 (NKJV)

Israel had realized they were made for something more than working for a task master. They were God’s people with a promise of a new land. However, before their trial, those promises seemed so distant and imposable to attain.

Now they looked towards the people living in their promised land as no great problem at all; for God would deliver them and those who do not worship God should fear.

The greatest part of Israel’s new found attitude is they were no longer afraid of facing God, facing others, or facing their future. They had become brave overnight and were able to go ahead with their life as God’s people.

You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance,  In the place, O LORD, which You have made For Your own dwelling,  The sanctuary, O Lord, which Your hands have established.

“The LORD shall reign forever and ever.” For the horses of Pharaoh went with his chariots and his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them. But the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea. Exodus 15:17-18 (NKJV)

This song of deliverance was more than a time of celebration; It was a song that all were to learn for it was a way to never forget the lessons of those days.

When facing trials people need to remember the power of the Lord and they should let that power be their strength in adversity. These would teach this song to their children and it would be remembered to this day, as it is written in our scriptures.

The victory of this day could spurn victories in the future if people were to commit this song to heart. Such is the importance of worship.

Throughout the world church services begin with songs, music, a hymn, and people hear the music, but often miss the words. Some hear the words, however, they do not contemplate what the song really means.

Worship is a time to allow the music to come out of our beings; yet not only from our vocal chords, but from our heart. Out heart is a two way instrument. From it comes praise and into our lives flow security, bravery, and remembrance of the great works of God.

Following Darkness into Danger.

Following Darkness into Danger. Exodus 14:24-31.

The children of Israel had been safe because a, low lying, dark cloud kept the Egyptians from seeing them. The thick darkness was blinding to the Egyptians; yet, on the other side, emitted bright light for the Israelites. This forced the Egyptians to slow down and they could not catch, nor see, the Israelites.

A horrendous wind blew towards the Red Sea and the water parted into two columns. The wind dried the ocean floor; it was an amazing sight to see.

Israel was instructed to walk across the ocean floor to the land on the other side and as they did the cloud, which blinded the Egyptians, lifted and they could see the Children of Israel escaping.

Infuriated the Pharaoh drove the Chariots harder. Faster and faster and soon the Egyptian army was also crossing the Red Sea. In anger the Pharaoh ignored the situation and his bitter heart was leading him to his doom.

This is an important aspect of mankind’s attitude towards sin. A person may harbor bitterness or anger towards Christianity and God; however, often then do not realize that their anger becomes a darkening cloud inside their life. As they drive forward their hearts get harder and they become blinded to the danger they are running towards.

Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the LORD looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians. And He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty; and the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.” Exodus 14:24-25 (NKJV)

The Chariots were going so fast that the axels were grinding away and the wheels had begun to wobble. It was a short coming in the technology; however, fear of the walls of water was upon the Egyptians and getting to the other side became the priority.

Fierce faces turned to desperate gasps. Men held on as Chariots started to come apart and retreat was on most all minds.

Fear had engulfed the heart of the army and in arrogance the Pharaoh continued to drive on, ready to kill anything that got in his way.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.” And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and when the morning appeared, the sea returned to its full depth, while the Egyptians were fleeing into it. So the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. Then the waters returned and covered the chariots, the horsemen, and all the army of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them. Not so much as one of them remained. Exodus 14:26-28 (NKJV)

Who is so great that they can face God in arrogance and win? So many people arrogantly turn their backs on the message of God and still God waits for them to repent; yet, the fabric of the universe is decaying in front of them. Like walls of water, it will eventually crash down around them and engulf them; crushing the chance they had to repent.

There are attitudes about Christianity that vary in their aggressiveness. There are those who choose to sin, though they know that those who commit such sins have chose to be separated from a holy God.

I have known those living in adultery, drunkards, drug users, and liars that seem to think, because they once in a while pray, they will be saved from eternal separation. However, the Bible says that those who do such things will not enter heaven. These are blinded from the truth.

Others have let the actions of a Christian they knew, become an excuse why they themselves have not done what is right before God. They keep their distance from God’s influence and blame the person who did them wrong. However, in God’s eyes this excuse is not sufficient to save; the person they knew might have done them wrong, but God has not done them wrong.

Blaming others for committing wrong is not an excuse. Feeling uncomfortable in church is not an excuse. Finding that others are phony in their relationship with God is not an excuse. Each of us is called by God to have our own sin forgiven and seek our own relationship with God.

But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. So the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses. Exodus 14:29-31 (NKJV)

Not every heart in the congregation of Israel was perfect. They were not a group of holy people; however, they had made a choice to follow God.

That is a major aspect of Christianity that so many people get wrong. When becoming a Christian, you are not joining yourself to a group of people; you are joining yourself to following God.

In a church, Christian people are at various steps in perusing a relationship with God. People will let you down; they will disappoint you and at times hurt you. Each person has come to give their life to God and all have different needs.

Thus in a church you will find people that have trust issues, anger issues, and various sinful tendencies. They all are there to have their lives changed by God and change takes time.

The Pharaoh and the Egyptian army should have recognized that Israel’s God was mighty force and took steps to join themselves to Him. However, they held on to their jealousies, their preconceptions about other gods, and their loyalty to the Pharaoh.

They let their attitudes build and they found themselves chasing Israel in to a dangerous place which would cost them their lives.

Looking down their chariots was failing and looking up, the walls of water were beginning to erode. They followed their perceptions and notions into the thick of danger, where they realized their pursuit, their prejudices, and their anger, was all for not.

The Egyptians had walked away from God’s grace. They did not listen to the warnings, and now it was too late; this was the day they would die.

There is no time on this earth for walking away from the Lord and blaming situations or other people. Today is the day of salvation for tomorrow you might find your life being crushed to death by a situation. Like a candle, one gust of wind, it goes out; such is life.

Your Role in the Congregation.

Your Role in the Congregation. Exodus 14:11-18.

Looking across the dessert, a person way in the back of the 2 to 3 million people saw faints signs of dust being kicked up by the 600 Chariots of the Pharaoh’s army. He quickly shouted, pointing to what he saw and a chain reaction of fear traveled through the camp of the Children of Israel; for the Egyptians were coming after them.

From the back to the front, a wave of comments swelled and gained momentum as it made its way to Moses. As it splashed up on the shores of Moses tent, Moses was caught by a flurry of questions, accusations, and demands.

Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” Exodus 14:11-12(NKJV)

The accusation was made that Moses conspired with the Pharaoh to take them out into the dessert so they may be killed. If they were to be killed in Egypt the dead bodies would have stunk up their cities; now they could be killed far away and their bodies left to rot in the hot sun.

Moses shaking his head, denying the claims, recieved another accusation in the form of a question, “Why have you dealt with us this way?” Followed by, “Didn’t we ask you to leave us alone to our work?”

The problem here is a lack of faith in extreme circumstances. So goes the story of every person who has had to face a life threatening disease. When diagnosed as terminal, people often question God and shrink in fear of dyeing. Yet God would have people to be strong in their faith and be as Job who said, “Though He slay me, I will trust in Him.”

Paul the apostle thought that to die was gain. He would gain by leaving the corruption of earth and have his soul ascend to heaven to be given a new body.

“To live,” Paul said, “is Christ.” He meant life is a constant job of toiling with the way sinners think and trying to convince them God is the answer to their dilemmas. Therefore, after a person dies there is peaceful rest from the turmoil of earth.

These Israelites had not learned to trust in God and their faith was weak. Yet, God knew this and therefore, allowed them to face the trials of the Egyptians so He might build their faith.

And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.” Exodus 14:13-14(NKJV)

It was Moses’ job to preach to the Children of Israel. As he spoke, the message had to be relayed from the front of the 2 to 3 million people, to the back. His message was to accomplish several things.

One, Moses’ message was to inform Israel to have faith in their God. Two, his message was to calm the people down. Lastly it was to assure them that God will fight for them.

These three things, as Christians, we should know; and when faced with a trial we are to be still and know that He is God.

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

It is quite interesting that God turned to question the pastor of the People. “Why do you cry to me?” God said to Moses. Evidently Moses looked at the unease of the people and though he delivered the message of peace, he was overcome with the vast unbelief of the people.

Being the pastor of such a large congregation was also a challenge to the faith of Moses. However, of all people who witnessed the saving hand of God, the pastor was not to falter in God’s eyes.

If you think about the structure of their congregation, when Moses spoke, he spoke to elders. The elders then carried the message out to the congregation and the same process occurred with information coming into Moses.

A pastor must be so strong in his faith he is able to command the elders to preach with boldness. In God’s thinking that cannot happen if the pastor wavers.

In a church, it is important that we all work together to strengthen each other so that our pastor has the support to be strong. Yet, Moses was being questions.

We must remember that God can talk to any person; however, here God was giving the main message to Moses, because God knew they needed a central leader. The same occurs in our congregation to this day.

We each hear from the Lord; but each week a sermon is laid upon the heart of the pastor to deliver to his congregation. That message should be considered as coming from the heart of the Lord and directed towards each and every person.

The strength of a church is bidirectional. God delivers his message through the pastor and it must filter down through the congregation; however, the congregation must send messages back to the pastor that they believe and support him. In faith we must honor God and His order for us.

How to Teach People about God.

How to Teach People about God. Exodus 13:1-16.

The Lord was very gracious in passing over the homes of the Children of Israel. Not so fortunate were those of the Egyptians; they had lost all of their first born children and their flocks experience death too. However, God delivered His people.

The people knew of God, but how to relate to God was beyond them. They all were like the new family that comes into church for the first time. They know there is a God, but what do you do now?

In a church, the most important responsibility is to teach people how to relate to God. I have been to churches that teach their people only to attend all the functions, pot lucks, outings, and other social events. Therefore, their people, when asked about the scriptures, are lost.

People need to not only learn about God, but learn how to teach others about God. This is the first thing on God’s mind when tending to all these people who had just escaped the bondage of Egypt.

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

The work consecrate means to sanctify, honor, and dedicate. God wanted the Israelites to know how fortunate they were to have escaped the angel of death and teach them that their obedience made the difference.

Sanctification is what we teach to those who come to church. We teach them that Christ died for our sins and in reverence, we sanctify or dedicate our lives to Him. This is the first lesson taught to a person coming to know about God.

And Moses said to the people: “Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out of this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. Exodus 13:3(NKJV)

For Israel, God saved them all from slavery in Egypt. Yet in our day, the New Testament writers teach that Egypt is a type of the world and the bondage we faced, in this world, is the bondage to sin. Therefore, we also teach people to reflect back to what Christ saved them from; for the life’s we use to lead would have led to spiritual death.

On this subject I must make one interjection. Each of us had been saved from various sins and where it is wonderful to speak about our salvation, the details of our sin should be spared from the ears of your children. We are training them never to sink to that level and live consecrated to the Lord; therefore, our delight for sin should not be a focus.

On this day you are going out, in the month Abib. And it shall be, when the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. Exodus 13:4-5(NKJV)

Repetition and holding an annual observance was top on God’s agenda for His people. This is why Roman Catholic Priests instituted the Christmas and Easter Observances; for creating traditions surrounding the goodness of God is a top priority to God.

Family traditions fit into this same thinking also. Families that have a stable event roster grow together and be it Easter, Christmas, or one a person made special, as long as the family reverences it, it will stand as a lesson for all generations that God is good to us.

In America our founding father instituted a day we call Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate our thankfulness, to God, for leading people to America and providing for our families. This is a most wonderful holiday.

Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days. And no leavened bread shall be seen among you, nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. And you shall tell your son in that day, saying, ‘This is done because of what the LORD did for me when I came up from Egypt.’ It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the LORD’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this ordinance in its season from year to year. Exodus 13:6-10(NKJV)

Teaching your children how terrible sin can be, is as simple as teaching them about leaven. Leaven or yeast causes a whole lump of dough to rise. It can never go back to its original state again.

If the dough is to come into contact with other dough, that dough will rise also. Therefore, they had to sweep the house clean and get rid of all the leaven. They ate unleavened bread for seven days which is the number of perfection.

In this they can teach their children the principle of what it is to live a consecrated life. God wants his people to live without sinning. Though it is impossible to not sin, we can continue to sweep our lives clean of sin and that is essential to consecrating your life or dedicating one’s self to God.

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

The allegories in the scriptures are vast and if we understand this, as we read Exodus a person can learn much about our own life with God. Through allegories, each of us can apply scriptures directly to our lives.

Do you fit the allegory of being a stubborn donkey? Pharaoh did; and so have many who resist God when God was speaking to their hearts. Many people refuse to listen and God will not pull a donkey to Him.

The blood of the lamb could sanctify even a dumb donkey, but if that lamb sacrifice does not cover the dumb donkey, its neck will be broken and it will die.

Three things we learn from this passage; first, consecrate your children to the Lord for the salvation of the Lord is precious.

Second, teach others to sweep the sin from their lives by having traditional remembrances of what salvation means.

Third, even a donkey can be spared and many of us were donkeys.

The Bible is a book for our learning and if we simply follow God’s direction for His people we can survive this earth with its dangers. Let us consecrate our lives daily to our God who loves us.

Passover or Communion?

Passover or Communion? 1Exodus 12:43-51.

The road to Succoth was packed with travelers escaping the slavery of Rameses. God told them to go and changed the heart of the Pharaoh to release them.

These people obeyed God and were faithful to their instruction; but they knew nothing about where they were going. They were leaving their birthplace of Egypt and traveling to a new land. They were like teenagers heading out to face the world that they had only heard stories of.

Prior to the first plague their knowledge of God was passed down to them in the stories of their ancestors Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel.

If the Children of Israel were to survive they must have faith in God which is belief in the unseen. Generation after generation spoke of the great faith of the patriarchs and they proclaimed God’s deliverance; but many died before seeing the mighty hand of God.

From the time God made the promise to Abraham, that his family would be a great nation, it had been four hundred thirty years. It was this generation that would see the power of God as God would strike that land of Egypt with the terrible plagues leading up to the release of the Children of Israel from slavery.

This generation would learn to know the power of God and learn how to respect God as God. They would enter a new world, a world of great blessing for the faithful and terrible consequences to the unbeliever.

How to live godly lives had to come from instruction and the first instruction was how to prepare the Passover meal. Though they received the instruction once, while in Egypt; now they would receive it again, having escaped Egypt. As we study we must remember only the faithful would benefit from the observance of Passover.

And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. Exodus 12:43-47(NKJV)

The Passover was to be an annual event. It was to remember the importance of keeping the ordinances of God; which brought life to those who obeyed and death to those who did not.

Most important to God was that the Passover was not to become a social event that unbelievers were invited to. It was first for the Hebrew people and second it was for those who converted to their belief and dedicated their life to God by being circumcised; a symbol of obedience to God.

This was to be strictly adhered to; even the meat was to stay inside their house so they would not be tempted to share it, for to let an unworthy person eat it would be disrespectful to God.

In addition, the lamb had to be prepared and ate in such a manor not a single bone was to break. This fact draws us to another story in the Bible taught to Christians by Jesus Christ Himself.

John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God; Jesus was unblemished by sin and chosen by God to be a sacrifice for many.

Later we read that Jesus was crucified and our sin placed upon Him by God; He was the sacrificial lamb and His blood spilled for us. We are also told that not a bone on His body was broken.

On the Passover, Jesus met for the last supper with His disciples and instituted a new ordinance which is a completion and perfection of the Passover feast.

Jesus took bread and broke it, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Then he took a challis of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. Which caused the disciples to question why is He doing this?

They too were like young adults being introduced to a new world. He also told them that He would not do this again with them until they joined Him in His kingdom.

This ritual was instituted by Jesus to ensure that they church would observe more than one Passover a year; but that it might continue in churches as a regular observance of the significance of His death.

Inviting Jesus into your heart covers the threshold of your heart with His blood, protecting you from the Angel of Death and the bread is symbolic of the unleavened bread for our lives are to be swept clean of sin.

And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.” Exodus 12:48-49(NKJV)

Like the Passover, to partake of the elements of communion is for only those who have committed their lives to God and have had their hearts circumcised. To take communion unworthily is to eat and drink damnation to your soul.

It began with the Passover in Egypt and was to be kept through all generations so they may recognize the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. Now it exists as communion for all who believe.

As with the Children of Israel, Christians are to follow the ordinances of God with accuracy; taking their role in life and the performance of their obligations to God serious.

We need forgiveness, we need a covering for our sin, and we need to respect the God who brought that to us.

Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies. Exodus 12:50-51(NKJV)

No longer were they slaves, they became the people of God who would enter into a new land and become not only the people of God, but an army to fight for what is right.

The same continues today if you have made Christ your savior. As Christians we keep ourselves according to God’s instructions. We do those things we are instructed to do and we gladly allow those who would join themselves to us, into our congregations.

We partake of communion in remembrance of what the perfect sacrifice means for our life and we await entering the new land, the land of promise which is heaven; the place where we can dwell with God in perfection for eternity.

The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn.

The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn. Exodus 12:29-34.

Moses and Aaron had delivered God’s message and each time they approached, the Pharaoh refused to obey God. Problem after problem arose in Egypt and they were considered plagues; however, Moses spoke of the plagues as warnings to the Pharaoh.

Many people today and throughout history have seen events that had spiritual relevance and still they refuse to obey God. Most claim to believe in God, yet they will not honor Him as God.

Earthquakes, famines, pestilence, and signs in the heavens have been acknowledged by many as signs of the times. When times are at their worst, people cry out and pray to God for deliverance; yet as the hardships pass, people continue their course of life without acknowledging God.

Pharaoh was this way and the scriptures tells us that his’ heart was hardening at each refusal to obey. As times got worse, Pharaoh acknowledges God; yet as a plague would end, he refused to let the Hebrew slaves go.

Nine plagues have passed and now the final plague was here and death was at the door of every person’s house. It was too late to repent; too late to change and the offers from God had passed.

And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. Exodus 12:29-30(NKJV)

He waited too long and ignored the warnings from God. He disrespected Moses and hardened his heart towards the message. Now Egypt cried and the body count was massive. Mothers and fathers held their babies, their children, and even the flocks were afraid for death had come and bodies dropped all around.

The signs were there; the message was clear. God called Pharaoh and all of Egypt to repent of their sins and release the Hebrew slaves. Yet, the warnings were not enough and daily life continued as it had for many years.

Negligence for the message of God is not excusable. God is loving, kind, gentle, and warm; however, God must also be judging, and holding people accountable for their choice.

God sent His only son to be born on earth and in His lips were a message for people to think of God as their own Father; a father in Heaven who is good, just, and fair.

His son became a sacrifice for sin and God’s message through Jesus went out to the entire world that God is willing to forgive our sins if we will humble ourselves to God’s authority.

Like with Pharaoh, this message has been rejected by many and though the signs are plain for all to see, a far more terrible plague is coming.

Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said.  Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.” Exodus 12:31-32(NKJV)

Pharaoh was now repentant; “Bless me,” he requests. And Pharaoh released the slaves; yet, all too late.

This is the fate of the world and the fate of every human throughout history. There is a day we all will die and then pass on to judgment.

The offer of salvation is offered before death comes to claim a soul and should a person refuse to take God saving offer, death will escort a person to await final judgment.

And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. Exodus 12:33-34(NKJV)

The Egyptian people now believed and feared for their life; yet, they chose to distance themselves from God and send the people of God away instead of join themselves to them.

It was a logical alternative for as the Children of Israel left, the problems of an angry God would be out of sight and out of mind. However, they still awaited their own deaths where judgment they would face.

So the Israelites gathered their possessions and left. Yet the scriptures focus on the unleavened bread. This becomes a standout opportunity for us to draw upon for our own selves.

We learned that the leaven was a type or reference to sin. A little yeast will raise the whole lump of bread. Yeast is a bacterium and when introduced to dough it causes a chemical reaction to make it rise.

If they had leaven in their dough, it would not only go bad in a short time but be hard to carry. If each person had risen bread to carry they would not be able to hold the silver and gold given to them by the Egyptians. What is more precious, lumps of leavened bread or treasures?

Each family was able to place the dough on their shoulders and carry their rewards with them; which become a promise to God’s people, that if you honor God, your walk through life will give you greater opportunity, rather than weight you down with extra baggage.

There is coming a day that life as we know it will end. Each of us is responsible to listen to the message of God and respond to Him with obedience.

We are to follow Him by obedience to His word and with the blood of the lamb covering the door posts of our hearts we too can walk with Him to the Promised Land with great reward.

Today is the day of salvation; which means that there is no time to waist. If you have yet to accept the offer of forgiveness of sin, the time is at hand. Do not be found dead without Jesus or like the Egyptians, you will pay the price and your life will be lost for all eternity.

You can open the door of your heart to Jesus or the death angel will one day come through the door and send you to await final judgment. What have you done with the message that Jesus saves from sin?

Passing over Grace; don’t do it!

Passing over Grace; don’t do it! Exodus 12:1-14.

Leaving the palace of the Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron knew that they would never see the Pharaoh, or the palace, and all of its guards, again. God was finished giving chances and the warnings were over.

Though it was home to Moses growing up, he had no emotional attachments to it. The palace was beautiful, yet the people in the palace and what it stood for was vulgar and grotesque.

From this palace, the children of Israel were treated like slaves. In an attempt to bring spirituality and God into the lives of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, God’s offers were declined.

It did not matter how many miracles were preformed, the Egyptians would not recognize God as the only God; but called Him the “God of the Hebrews.” Therefore, Egypt could never become Israel’s home. The Israelites were visitors in a strange land, a godless land, a land of myth, pride, and greed.

The parallels Christians face is much the same. This world is not their home; they are visitors in a strange land, and society rejects God and Jesus Christ. Like the Israelites, Christians are to be prepared to leave; for God will lead them to a promised land.

Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. Exodus 12:1-4(NKJV)

The Israelites were going to leave Egypt and move on to a land promised to them by God. Leaving would be a new beginning and time as they knew it was going to start over. Their exit from Egypt would be considered the first calendar day of the rest of their life.

It all began with a barbeque. Everyone was going to eat lamb and lambs would be killed in front of every family member. Once prepared each Israelite were to eat as much of it as they could and become more than full.

Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Exodus 12:5-8(NKJV)

These lambs had to be special lambs. They had to be the best lamb of the herd and without a single blemish. At sunset the killing was to be done before every family member and then the blood was to be sprinkled above the threshold of each house and splattered on each door post.

Then with the barbequed lamb they were to eat bread without leaven, and bitter herbs. This was flat bread, not risen from the addition of yeast and the herbs were to make them cringe and pucker. It was not something you would choose to prepare for yourself.

Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails. You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. Exodus 10:9-11(NKJV)

So why were these instructions so important to follow? The instructions were mandatory and if a person wanted to leave the land of Egypt in safety they must take each instruction serious. In the same way Christians, who want to escape this lifetime and move on to their promised land, must do similar steps.

The steps are plainly written for our reading in the New Testament. Jesus, the Christ (savior), came to earth like an innocent lamb. He did not have a blemish and yet because of the cold hearted souls, He was put on a cross, suffering great pain, and died.

His blood spilled because we need to be saved from the death of our own souls. He took the penalty for sin that we deserved.

As the writers of the New Testament have detailed His death for all of us to read; we are to ensure that every family member witnesses this slaughter. Then the blood of the Christ is to cover our hearts. We are to have it sprinkled on the door posts of our heart and placed high on the threshold of our life so we do not trample it or tread on it without respect.

Jesus, the Lamb of God, is to be our feast and we are to consume the information about Jesus and become full. Every part of the Lamb of God is to be prepared and taken in. This is to be done not by one family member, but all believers.

With our lamb, we are to eat our daily bread “without leaven.” Just as a little leaven causes a whole lump of bread to rise, a little sin in our life causes undesired results in our life. Allowing sin into our life will produce a bad life and therefore, we are to care for our lives like it was a lump of bread and keep the leaven out.

The bitter herbs were not really desirable to eat and neither are the things we must do to complete our meal.

As a Christian there are times you will not partake with the rest of the world and you will be tied to complete obligations to family, church, and sharing the gospel.

At times we are to reject the sweet taste of fun for bitter service. Though serving is a wonderful opportunity, there will be times service will lead you to bitter places, bitter circumstances and bitter people. Yet a Christian must take this bitterness with the good.

The Israelites were also to eat their meal fully dressed. They were to be ready to leave; for when it was time to no one was to be left behind. Thus there is a similar prompting, in the New Testament teachings, for Christians to be ready. For in a twinkle of an eye, Christ will come for His people. Therefore, we too must be ready.

This leads us to a question. As a Christian, do you take the time to live according to the Bible’s instructions? Will you be ready and have completed the necessary steps to be included into people who will escape?

‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Exodus 12:12-14(NKJV)

In this passage the only big difference from our day and then is the plague. God was going to send a death angel to kill the first born of every family that did not comply with the necessary steps.

Our threat is not a plague, but an ending point in time, where heavens doors will be sealed forever and the invitation to accept God’s gift of grace will be over.

No longer will a person be able to repent and be saved. No longer will God look upon the door post of the heart for the blood of Christ. The chance to be saved from your sin will be over.

This is what makes Passover such an important remembrance. It was a day when God passed over and even more, it is a warning that what God says will happen, is true.

If people refuse to repent and forsake their sin, they will not be ready on that Day of Judgment. Therefore, like Passover, the celebrations of the days that commemorate the importance of salvation are never to be taken off our calendar; nor should we stop from declaring their importance to our children.

The day of salvation and deliverance is coming; will you be ready?

God versus gods.

God versus gods. Exodus 11:1-10.

Egypt had been hit with plague after plague, leaving permanent marks upon the land and upon the people’s lives. The land was scorched, the trees were eaten, and there were no crops in the field. So severe were these plagues that Egypt would not rebound for decades to come.

Yet through it all, the Pharaoh believed if he weathered the plagues, Moses would grow tired of the rejection and leave.

Bitterness, greed, envy, and pride, caused Pharaoh to be bitter, cold, deceitful, and arrogant. His goal was to build two treasure cities to house his riches; a place to be buried.

The Pharaoh, as did the Egyptian people, believed after death a Pharaoh dwelled in a starry firmament and would be endowed with power and strength. They believed the Pharaoh would co-exist and be equal to the other Gods.

It is logical these plagues were viewed by the Pharaoh as a test and he held hope to one day face this God of the Hebrews where they could battle with equal power. Therefore, to Pharaoh there was gain in dying; however, these treasured cities must be completed before his death.

And the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. Exodus 11:1(NKJV)

God is a force that we all must recon with; He is stronger than our wills, greater than all myth, and able to do the most amazing things in a person’s life. Unlike the god’s of other religions who are born through folklore, our God is real.

The Buddha was believed to carry a consciousness that was supernatural. Many religions claim that this consciousness passes on to new people. Furthering their beliefs, they say Jesus had the consciousness, Mohamed had it, and myth surrounds these doctrines causing people to worship the person as a prophet or great teacher.

In Egypt, they believed in many gods and the real God was smashing their mythology with each plague. At the same time, God was increasing Israel’s understanding of what, who, and how powerful their God is.

Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.” And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. Exodus 11:2-3(NKJV)

Moses was only a tool in the hand of God. He was not to be worshiped or treated like God. Moses was more of a pastor, a man God used to speak through to the people and would later use to lead them out of Egypt, to a promised land.

Then Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals.

Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or     beast that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’

And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.” Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger. Exodus 11:4-8(NKJV)

If you were to hear Moses would you believe in what he said? By this time, almost all the people knew that Moses had the backing of God and to not back Moses would be to not back God. The Israelites began to pack their belonging and the Egyptians handed over their silver and gold jewelry, goblets, and plates.

The Egyptians wanted to appease the God of the Israelites and so they generously gave the people great riches. However, God cannot be bought; it would take more than the giving of gold and silver to appease God. It would take every person’s obedience and today nothing has changed.

You cannot buy your way out of troubles or into a more comfortable life by giving your money at church. God wants your whole heart and you to be obedient to His’ word.

But the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land. Exodus 11:8-10(NKJV)

The future and last plague, to come against the land of Egypt, was going to be one of the most horrific acts in history. God was going to send the Angel of Death to examine the obedience of the people; including the Israelites.

Do you think it strange that people would tempt God by disbelief and willful disobedience? When God has so much power and authority over our lives, why would a person choose to be willfully disobedience?

If you were to put a person’s choices plainly before them, they would choose the best God has to offer. However, when our sinful nature obscures our vision of whom God is, this is when people make bad mistakes.

It is a mistake to follow a religion that is based on folklore. It is a mistake to think you can make it to eternity without God’s blessing. It is a mistake to think that earthly riches matter after death and therefore, the pursuit of riches should never be a priority.

Other religions have no proof, only myth, and writings. They hope their sacrifices to their god will please it, so they may prosper. They lift their prayers as an empty gesture because there is no other god. They fear superstition and live according to folklore.

They can exalt their prophet, they can hold myth as truth; however, there is no power, no strength, and no answered prayer. Yet the God of the Bible has power and intervenes into our lives daily. We have answered prayer.

Darkness in Life and Death.

Darkness in Life and Death. Exodus 10:21-29.

God and Moses are patiently waiting for the Pharaoh to concede to the authority of God. God had brought signs and wonders in the form of plagues, bringing great trials upon the Egyptians; yet each time Pharaoh’s heart became hardened to the concept of letting the Israelites go.

This is a very extreme story; however, it is a story that is repeated throughout history as people have hardened their hearts towards God. At times they prayed, “Lord forgive my sin,” “Heal my sickness,” and “Keep me from death;” however, after their situation was over, they went back to their old life, closing out God.

The disrespect for God’s authority can be voiced with great emphasis or tantrum; however, it can also be voices quietly by withdrawing from perusing a relationship with Him. In each, the person is choosing their destiny; a certain destiny where it is promised they will live eternity in outer darkness.

This day Pharaoh would experience firsthand what outer darkness is all about.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” Exodus 10:21(NKJV)

It was not only a darkness that clouded out the sun, it was a darkness that could be felt. So thick is this darkness that it envelopes a person and causes even the brightest light to be unseen.

The darkness had substance and where the Israelites’ had light in their homes, the Egyptians had none.

The only thing that the Egyptians had was touch and spoken communication. Yet, those who refuse a relationship with God and die, will not even have that; finding themselves in an outer darkness with no light, no communication and they will be alone with their emotions.

How would you like to die to wake in outer darkness? You would spend your first thoughts to understand what had happened. As you recalled your death, you would realize that you have passed into eternity and began to call out to find someone in the outer darkness; yet there would be no answer.

Questions would ravage your consciousness, fear would envelope your soul, and soon you would realize that God was real and you rejected Him and this outer darkness would be yours for eternity.

Jesus taught that this outer darkness would be a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. All of the emotions that comprise your soul are still in tacked. The desires to have love, be loved, and love others is there. Sadness, worry, and regret never leave; yet all of these cause a anger and bitterness. This hell is a place of dementing torture.

So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. Exodus 10:22-23(NKJV)

Pharaoh was experiencing this first hand. The mind bending fear that something is approaching and thoughts of vulnerability to attack; these are enough to drive a person insane and are heightened as people come to touch you as they fumble in the darkness.

If you have never experienced complete darkness, you should make an attempt. I once drove to a soy bean field in Mississippi so that I might gaze up into the heavens to see the stars. As I shut the car door behind me, I realized that the darkness was so thick I could not see my hand before my own face.

Fear came over me, yet I tried to stand confident and experience this time. I remembered that in the fields there were deer and I imagined a large antlered buck rearing up to defend his territory that I now stood in.

I passed it off as imagination; yet as I stood there, the unnerving darkness got the best of me. Finding the car door and opening it to see the glaring light come from it was a welcomed sight. Immediately I turned on the headlights to see if the field held my fears and there was nothing. I was standing alone in the dark with my own thoughts and they devastated me.

Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.” Exodus 10:24-26(NKJV)

Pharaoh had enough fears in the daylight , let alone the dark. He worried that he would lose his workers and the work on the treasure cities would stop. He also worried that once gone, they would not return so he was not willing to give up their livestock

This Pharaoh was not different than many whom out of fear come to church and still they hold back from having a true relationship with God. They compromisingly give up certain habits, thinking they are pleasing God. Yet God wants the whole person.

It comes down to choice. To avoid hell and take hold of salvation, it takes commitment of a person’s whole life. You cannot give only a part of yourself; God wants your all. This Pharaoh was only willing to give part and for him it would mean his death.

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.” Exodus 10:27-29 (NKJV)

“Get away from me! I don’t want to see you know more.” Pharaohs only link to God was being sent away and Moses was going to do as he asked. You cannot force God upon a person and there comes a time where you have to give them what they want; you have to leave them alone to face their future.

This is the same thing a person says when they stop going to church, or they drive away their Christian friends. With actions you can make your voice heard by God. If you want God in your life, He will be there; however, if you don’t want God in your life, your separation can start now!

When you do not bow before the Lord.

When you do not bow before the Lord. Exodus 10:11-20.

The Pharaoh was trying to cut a deal with God. He told Moses that the men could go to the desert and worship the Lord, but the children and the women had to stay. This attempt to negotiate came from an arrogant, hard, heart.

People continually try to negotiate with God and never stop to consider that it is willful disobedience. When God asks your life to be lived a certain way and we interject our own thoughts into His plan for our life, there can be nothing but trouble ahead.

Trouble comes our way not to hurt us, but that we might stop trying to bargain with God. An example are couples who are physically together before matrimony; they do so by defying the order God has set. “God knows we love each other,” they say and yet so many of these couples never make it to marriage.

Because of a lose attitude towards intimacy, the world has been bent by such practices where men and women freely join themselves to each other for one night. This immorality which started with simple justifications has cause trouble in the world.

Like a plague sweeping the planet, immorality is accepted and we have men with men, women with women, and diseases that hurt many people.

When a person learns that you cannot cut deals with God to make your sin right for a moment, then their live begins to improve; until then, their hearts grows cold, hard, and becomes void of understanding.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” Exodus 10:11(NKJV)

Pharaoh saw Moses come and bring the plagues that caused Egypt to boil. Every time he left the plagues would stop. It is possible that by agreeing to let all the men go to the dessert to worship, Pharaoh saw an opportunity to divide the Israelites and could easily send his army to kill Moses and thin out the Israelite male population making them less of a threat.

People who justify their actions do so because they inwardly plot how to get their own way. However, God saw through the Pharaoh’s ways and carried out a plague that would be most extreme.

So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt.

They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt. Exodus 10:12-15 (NKJV)

Egypt had seen the common sand storms that would blow dust miles into the air, darkening the skies, and skewing their vision. Yet as this storm came, it rained on them Locusts.

Grasshoppers were everywhere so much so that none could escape from the barrage of the crawly winged predators. Eating everything in their path, the locusts stripped every morsel of food from the land once rich with plenty.

This meant life was going to become extremely difficult. Food would have to be imported. Man power would be stretched thin and the damage to their lives and lifestyles would be great.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only.”

So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. And the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go. Exodus 10:16-20 (NKJV)

The Pharaoh was astonished by the impacted from the event. The collateral damage from the Locusts would affect Egyptian life for years to come and Pharaoh knew that he had to get this to stop.

The Pharaoh knew the right words to say; “I have sinned against the LORD,” Forgive me my sin,” “Entreat your God.” Pharaoh was brought to his knees. He faced being responsible for this problem. Like a person facing a life threatening situation, Pharaoh now wanted to pray.

As Moses, entreated the Lord and the wind shifted blowing all the locust away, Pharaoh became angry. It may have started with being angry towards himself; yet it turned towards memories of his daughter finding this baby floating in the river.

Memories traveled through time as he watched this Hebrew boy grow up in the palace and ended with the present day situation.

Pharaoh saw himself the problem and regretted not killing Moses when he had a chance. Pharaoh was not going to bow from his throne to another king, God, or Moses. He resented having to beg and felt weak inside.

God sees the heart and Pharaoh’s heart was filled with regret, anger, and hatred. Therefore, God did not meet the Pharaoh at the place of his repentance. God kept His distance and that distance allowed Pharaoh’s heart to become harder.

Sin separates us from God. The further from God a person goes, the harder their heart gets. When a person chooses to have distance, God grants the distance and thus their heart hardens.

In our life, distance can come into our relationship with God if we will not live according to His plan. It should not be our plan for our lives, but His plan for our life.

We should not seek to compromise His plan so that we can live our plan too. God is to be our LORD and we should bow to Him..isHisHIs

How to Reach a Hard Hearted Person.

How to Reach a Hard Hearted Person. Exodus 10:1-11.

There was a particular work that God was doing in Egypt and in this work, God was introducing Himself to the Egyptian people and His own chosen people, Israel.

God was showing the struggle of a man with sin. He was showing how the heart can be a cold hard object, controlling a man’s destiny. God was also showing that when a man chooses to not answer the call of God, God will back away and with distance a heart gets harder.

God called His work “hardening a person’s heart.” You see, it is better a person to experience a breaking of their heart, while alive, than when it is too late and they are dead.

Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” Exodus 10:1-2(NKJV)

Every work of God in our life and the lives around us are to be stories that we relay to others. The great works of God need to be on our lips as well as these accounts recorded in the scriptures.

God has done great things so that people might hear the truth and give their heart to the Lord. Like Moses, we are told to “Go” and tell those who need salvation.

The Apostle Paul told Christians, For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”Romans 10:13-15(NKJV)

So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Exodus 10:3-6(NKJV)

Knowing how to deliver a message to a person is central to reaching that person. Here Moses was told what to say and he did it well. He said his piece and then turned his back on the Pharaoh and left.

For some people that is just what it takes. If you stay and try to persuade them, it gives the person a chance to miss treat you or to throw in some double talk logic. Pharaoh was not going to get the chance.

Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” Exodus 10:7(NKJV)

The only people Pharaoh could talk with were his servants. They saw the dilemma for what it was. God was not asking Pharaoh to become a holy man dedicated to the service of God. God only wanted Pharaoh to release his grip on the people, willingly.

So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?” And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” Then he said to them, “The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. Exodus 10:8-10(NKJV)

A hard heart is hard to break. I have met so many Christians with hard hearted people in their lives.

Women whose husbands refuse to come to church with the family. Children placed between parents, one who attends church and the other who does not honor God at all. Yet the Lord continues His work and tries to reach those hard hearted people.

Pharaoh allowed them to go; but he tweaked the plan. The men could go, but the children, the women, and the flocks, were to stay in Egypt. This is an amazing justification of compliance born in the mind of the cold hearted Pharaoh.

What made Pharaoh think that he could give God only an inch? Did he really think that he could appease God by granting this small concession? This shows that the heart directly controls ones intellect and therefore, hard hearted people will continue to make stupid mistakes when holding back from submitting to God.

So it goes for a marriage unequally yoked. One believes in God and the other grants them concessions. Each has their own beliefs and their actions follow. One has given their life to spiritual matters and the other works to bring compromise.

So it goes for the children caught in the struggle between adults who have different beliefs. With one parent their faith is enforced and with the other compromise is taught. The children are caught in a middle of what is right and what is wrong. Yet God watches with great concern.

God was patient with the Pharaoh. God continually answered each of Pharaoh’s decisions with an equal and opposite reaction. He did not concede to the Pharaoh; however, God responded with action to break the Pharaoh.

The same could happen in someone one witnessing to a hard hearted person. The hard hearted person should be told the truth of what their actions will get them, how God watches over His people, and what a person plants in their life will be their harvest also.

At times, this is the side of witnessing we must bring to people. For some, we must let them know that God wants to soften their heart and accept His ways. If they do not open their hearts to God, they choose to battle an unstoppable force; for God will not stop until he reaches a person.

A hard heart gets harder and should they die with a hard heart, they will face an eternity they have chosen for themselves. They can live with God in peace or face an angry God. This is the what witnessing is all about.

Who is God? Are you God?

Who is God? Are you God? Exodus 9:24-35.

The skies turn black and had an orange streaking glow as fire shot through the clouds. The heavens were alive, thundering and lightning bolts erupted on top of each other.

Sounds of projectiles streaking through the sky were followed by ground shaking impacts. People scattered like ants and they were squashed like ants also.

So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail. Exodus 9:24-26(NKJV)

It was a terrifying sight the Pharaoh saw out his windows and in his courtyards. The smell of ash gave an air of total destruction. It unnerved Pharaoh and he not feel safe inside.

The Pharaoh’s heart beat with failing pace as he realized he made a real God mad. What could save him? How can he get it to stop was his greatest concern. The answer was Moses, “Where is Moses?” he cried.

It is a terrible thing to face the judgment of God. Because God does not come crashing down on us with terrifying circumstances, most people hardly give thought to God. However, the scriptures warn of a day when people will face the awesome power of God and if it is in the afterlife there will be no salvation.

Today is the day of salvation; which means God has sent us a message and we are to take the message seriously. Up until this time the Pharaoh had refused God’s offer; however, Pharaoh was given another chance.

And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”

So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the LORD God.” Exodus 9:27-30(NKJV)

It was a daring statement to say to a repenting man, “I know that you will not yet fear the LORD God.” Much like a person facing extreme trials prays for them to be over, Pharaoh wanted the trail to be over; however, he was not sincere towards God.

Just as many forget God after the trial, Pharaoh also would forget the power of God and choose his own desires over Gods.

The Bible is God’s message to us, explaining our past and our future. It tells us that sin has separated us from our God. It tells us to repent of our sins and forsake our ungodly ways.

So important is this message that God sent His only son to become a sacrifice and pay the penalty of death that we deserve. Yet, people ignore the Bible.

Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud. But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops. So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the LORD; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses. Exodus 9:31-35(NKJV)

When trials occur in peoples life, some people pray to God and yet inside, they harbor bitterness towards God. Some have even rationalized saying that because God created everything, He created evil and therefore, they feel victimized by God. Once their trial is over, they return to their old ways and their heart becomes harder towards God.

The very fact that God loves us needs to be our focus. Anyone can look at a person or a situation and pick them apart. You can find bad in anything; however, God spared the wheat, which meant they not only had food, they had the stubble to build bricks. The Egyptians could go on with their lifestyle as long as they let the slaves go.

God is not a tyrant that wants to take everything from you. He does not want you to become a monk, or ruin your fun. God only asks that you come to Him for forgiveness and let Him make your hard heart into a soft heart.

Still, people feel that once they go to church their life is over. This could never be further from the truth. Each of us is to be the people we are; however, those things that the scriptures tell us to do and not to do, are for our good.

It is a good thing not to drink in excess to where we hurt our health. It is a good thing to support a church with your monies so they can have children’s groups that are fun and make a way to minister to those with less.

It is a good thing to be to build the kingdom of God so that others can be welcomed to join us. For our eternal rewards far outweigh anything we could gain on earth.

Yet Pharaoh was short sighted and greedy to keep his gain. He feared no being able to have the cities he needed for his treasures.

He was also against Hebrews and carried hatred towards them. Their race was growing at an alarming rate and at one time he had all their male babies thrown into the river and drowned.

Basically, Pharaoh was a crotchety, hard hearted, old man. In reality Pharaoh wanted to be his own god.

Did you know that when people turn down coming to the Lord, they are taking the position of lord in their own life?

This is the same attitude which got Lucifer cast out of heaven. Lucifer wanted to be as God; he wanted to lead angels, without being led by God. Therefore, God cast Lucifer out of heaven for lying, cheating, and plotting against Him.

Life without the leadership of God is blind. The future is uncertain and a person only stabs into darkness trying to find a way though life. The utter shame is when they do die; they wanted to be the Lord of their own life and now they must be their own savior too.

The little light they were able to enjoy on earth belongs to God. After death, they have chosen to be separated from God and outer darkness is all they will have. The creature comforts of earth are gone too; for they too belonged to God.

God has planned goodness for every person who will come to Him. His plan goes past this life and to be a part of it we must embrace Him as our God.

The Pharaoh was given many chances and there were more to come; however, there comes a time when the chances are over.

Did you Hear the Warning?

Did you Hear the Warning? Exodus 9:20-23.

Moses starred into the Pharaoh’s eyes as he announced God would rain down hail mixed with fire upon all of Egypt. Eye to eye, Moses told the Pharaoh people and livestock would be killed unless he Pharaoh the Children of Israel go.

Even though many people speak of God of as being crewel and mean, there is this fact; God gives advanced warning, God is not inhumane.

He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. But he who did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field. Exodus 9:20-21(NKJV)

Though people blame God, God does not blame people. Even though God created the judgment to come, God offers people a chance to escape judgment.

Through the plagues, befalling Egypt, people were opening their eyes to the truth that a supreme God exists. These believed the God of the Israelites’ was all powerful and they saw the proof unfold before them.

From children the Egyptians were told mythical stories about deities; yet never did a deity prove itself and now this warning was enough for them to take action, moving their herds and families inside.

Scoffers filled the street watching and mocking, shaking their heads in disapproval of those Egyptians who took the warning serious.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. Exodus 9:22-23(NKJV)

Since history was written from end to beginning, God is able to know of events before they happen. Because humans were given the right to choose who they will serve, God will only warn and never force a person to submit.

Our scriptures are filled with stories of people warned; some listened, yet some closed themselves off to the warnings.

The scriptures also contain warnings for us. We are told that there is coming a deceiving individual that will persuade many to follow a lie. This man of sin will have political control affecting commerce around the world.

This man is anti-Christ and though he will at first tolerate religions, he will create a world order demanding people become joined to his affiliation and receive a mark. These events mark the end of days.

Yet the end of days comes quickly for many. Death comes through violence and disease. Daily people die by accident or at the hand of another. No person knows the day or the hour that they will become accountable before God; however, all have been warned of their accountability for their eternity, their choice to choose, and the gift of salvation offered freely to all.

Just as hail and fire rained out of heaven when Moses stretched out his arms, a peace filled eternity opened for us when Christ reached out his arms and became obedient to death on the cross. God is willing to forgive our sin if we will come to Him.

This comparison to our day and our warning is almost the same. A pending judgment awaits our future and people are urged to get into safety. These are watched by people shaking their heads and scoffing at the thought of judgment.

The plan of God was written in the stars and this day in Egypt, the planets aligned and the needed conditions occurs to rain hail and fire down on Egypt crushing or burning all who did not heed the warning.

Perhaps there was a tail of a comment that struck the earth at the right place and the right time. Yet the fact stands, it was the right day and the right time known in advance by God.

Jesus said that in the end times there will be wars and rumors of wars, with earthquakes in diverse places; pestilence, sickness, and boundless trials will befall that generation. When we see these things we are to look up for our redemption draws nigh.

Even in the face of a terrible future, people can take hope in the salvation of the Lord. Those Egyptians that believed and went in to safety lived to see another day. Is that not a great message? Is that not a great hope?

The writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. Hebrews 2:3(NKJV)

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid; believe in God and also in Jesus Christ for our future is sure.

Changing the way People Think.

Changing the way People Think. Exodus 9:13-35.

Pharaoh had invited some terrible plagues into the lives of his people. The whole time Pharaoh opened his heart when in these situations and as each one came to an end, Pharaoh returned to his ways.

Pharaoh was not going to stop the work on his treasure cities; in his mind the Israelite slaves were going to live in captivity and forever serve Egypt. The bad thing is that the Israelite people were getting used to it and had accepted the Egyptian domination.

However, God had a different plan and God would show all the people that He is merciful, loving, and strong.

It was with mercy that God gave the Pharaoh time to repent. It was with love God protected His people, and in strength God reigned down plagues giving the Pharaoh time to repent. With all these chance and emotional pleas from God, Pharaoh still turned his back on the truth.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. Exodus 9:1-14(NKJV)

Though Pharaoh continued to harden his heart; however, Pharaoh was changing. He had come a long way in accepting the reality of God. At one time Pharaoh did not even know there was a God, but the Pharaoh acknowledged Him now.

At one time, Pharaoh knew no fear, but now he did. Where once Pharaoh lashed out at the slaves, adding to their work, Pharaoh had lost focus and only focused on the face of Moses and Aaron. Where Pharaoh once had no respect for Moses and Aaron, know he did.

Many Christians think that evangelism is a short process; however, it takes a long time to reach most people. First they have to accept you, before they will accept your God. We must have interaction with them and be patient to let them go through the process of changing the way they think about God.

As you live around people, they watch you. They see your reverence to God and measure your life as if it were the only proof that there is a God. Like Pharaoh, it takes a lot for some people to finally put down their reservations.

Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. Exodus 9:15-16(NKJV)

This is a valid point that we must communicate when witnessing. If God were merciless, He could stop the world, ending existence for everyone. Or God could see the sin that a person commits and end their life; Yet God reaches out because He wants people to be a part of His plan.

So why does He not act the same way towards people today? Why does He not cast boils on the person that turned you down when you were witnessing to them? Could a commanded zit break out change their minds?

God loves people; He does not like to see them suffer. This story in Exodus is here so people could hear about it without having to experience it. God could do it; but He did it in Egypt so that we might not have to suffer today. His power has been made know throughout the earth and the story is enough; take it, or leave it.

As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.”‘” Exodus 9:17-19(NKJV)

One other thing about our loving God is that He gives warnings. He warned Pharaoh of the plague about to happen; God even instructed them to get their herds inside.

This is one of the best attributes that God has; He warns us. The Bible is filled with warnings and prophesies; this is what makes it such a great tool. The Bible is a book that we should study.

I had a warning from God once. I was about 22 years old and my new bride and I were beginning our marriage going to church together. Though we were going to church and smiling on the outside, at home I carried on youthful sins; I was drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana in excess.

I wanted to acknowledge God in my life, but carry on the fun of my youth. My friends encouraged me, I had pounds of marijuana given to me for free, and I felt it was a good way of escape to relax.

One Sunday morning, sitting on my couch as my wife was in the bathroom getting ready for church, in my mind I heard an ultimatum that came from nowhere. “It’s either now, or never!”

I fully understood that there was no going forward with my relationship with God; it was either I abandon the sins of my youth or face being abandoned by God. I had my chances, God had been patient, but now it was time to put down those youthful ways.

I stood to my feet and said, “It’s now!” To which my wife said, “What are you talking about?” I told her that I felt God tell me that I needed to get right now or never. The next thing I heard from the bathroom was, “Ute oh.”

The rest of the morning was spent dumping tequila and whiskey bottles, getting all those things out of our house. It was followed by not letting my friends bring those things into my house. That was followed by my friends leaving me friendless; but I had the Lord.

Here the Pharaoh is receiving a great opportunity for the plague to come was going to rock Egypt. It would strike fear in their hearts and God announced it so He may not have to do it.

Is it not Great that God is willing to accept us the way we are and then He stands silently by bringing about change in our lives. His warnings and encouragements are precious and these ways of God should be shared with everyone we meet.

People think many bad things about God, about church, and about religion; that is why God sends this message to you. He wants you to make a difference and explain the chances He gives to people. His mercy, His love, and His patience should be upon our lips to all.

Zits? No, Boils!

Zits? No, Boils! Exodus 9:8-12.

God was serious with the Pharaoh of Egypt and the plagues that came upon all Egyptians were horrendous; however, God was still not reaching Pharaoh and God knew that Pharaoh was going to harden his heart each plague. Dose it strike a nerve in you that God knows not only our thoughts and intentions, but He knows what it will take to make us repent?

People who avoid the subject of God act as if they are shelter from God. They feel that if they close themselves off from God, the reality of God goes away; this could not be further from the truth.

God is continuously posting signs in a person’s life to call them to a relationship with Him. God calls all people to a relationship and for some of them it becomes a bad relationship.

So the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” Exodus:8-9(NKJV)

Though God will do whatever it takes to reach a person, not all bad things that happen in our lives are from God.

Because sin is in this world there is now crime, untruthfulness, and disease. The actions of others impact us regardless of the will of God; therefore, let not a person think God created the all bad things that happen.

Yet God is trying to reach out to people and does so in many different ways. For some knowing that they will meet their maker soon, gives them an opportunity they might not experience if life’s events were all good.

God has infinite wisdom and He knows each person internally. He knew that Pharaoh would need these tragedies in his life to make him let God’s people go and not just one, but a series of plagues. Here the Pharaoh is coming to his end, but still reluctant to let God’s people go.

Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses. Exodus 9:10-12 (NKJV)

I have always been curious of how quick it took for the sores to appear. I have had skin irritations that pop up over night; yet, I’m certain the text is telling us while Moses and Aaron stood there, the magicians had to leave because their sores came upon them immediately.

Soon the Pharaoh’s palace was filled with people coming to report the results of the plague. Yet this only made Pharaoh madder.

Have you ever been mad at God? The natural reaction is to say no; however, one day the Lord approached me in a prayer time and revel to my heart, I was mad at Him. Things in my life were not adding up the way I wanted it and I was blaming everyone else.

I was upset with a company I worked for; I was equally upset with my friends, my wife, and at situations that just kept popping up. When the Lord approached me on the subject, He spoke to my heart and said, “You are mad at me.”

It was then that I remembered a lesson I was taught. When you are pointing the finger at someone else, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself. We should consider ourselves as wrong when we blame others.

A pastor once told me that when I find myself upset with my wife, to pray to God and ask Him to change her or change me. Then if I do not like the way she acts, then I have only God to blame. He told me to stick my finger up at the Lord and blame Him.

In reverence to God, I could never do that and this is what my pastor was getting at. When we pray for relief, for others, and for situations to get better, we are committing them to God. If we get mad, in attitude, we are fingers pointing up God; blaming God for what upsets us.

God was right, I did not realize it at first, but by getting upset with the situations, I was getting upset with God; I was mad at God.

In our passage, Pharaoh was mad at God too and yet, before him stood Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron were the ones he could readily blame; they were the ones that he sneered at. Moses and Aaron could have taken this personal; but they had their eyes on God.

Because sin clouds issues in our life, it is very easy to walk around mad; however, we have to realize that God always has our best intentions in mind and no matter what is happening to us; He is allowing it for a reason.

These are words from a now, soft hearted person. I still get upset; however, God corrects me often. Yet a hard hearted person will close themselves off to such an idea and they choose to join the crowd and there they can find the Pharaoh.