365 Reflections

Exodus 3:1 (ESV)   Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The Bible introduces us to Moses in his new post-Egypt life. He's working for his father-in-law Jethro and leading his flock. What's interesting to note is that Jethro was referred to as Reuel only one chapter earlier. Scripture does offer two names to many people. This time it is on purpose for the narrative. The point is to show Jethro as the help Moses needed at this point in time.  Jethro is going to guide Moses from his old life to his new life with hardly a word. He is the one who offers Moses a home as he's running from Pharaoh. He gives Moses a family. He provides Moses a job. He is also referred to as a Priest so he is in a large way Moses' spiritual leader. Jethro is perhaps Moses' first spiritual guide since being raised by his mother.  Later in the

Exodus 2:24–25 (ESV)   And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. Exodus 2 ends on a strange phrase: "and God knew." We understand God knew things, but what does this text mean that He knew? It doesn't seem to finish the thought. We'd like to know what it is that God knew at that moment. But that's just the point of the passage. God knew! That's all there is to it. And because God knows, it really doesn't matter what we think of it. It's going to end up being the perfect plan. Think about this story from this phrase onward. Immediate the attention shifts from the Israelites suffering to Moses in the wilderness about to meet God. From this phrase, God will call a reluctant Moses into the midst of their pain. Moses will first seem make things worse and the Israelites will question him and reject him once more. Then God will start sendi

Exodus 2:24 (ESV)   And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. The redemptive history of Israel from Egypt is summed up in this one passage. God bases all His blessings and work for Israel on His covenant with Abraham from many centuries before. Please understand this: When Israel is in bondage in Egypt and groans, it is not that God suddenly realized something had to be done for Israel. He knew when and what had to be done long before while speaking to Abraham in Genesis 15. It is also not that God felt bad for them. He heard their groaning yes, He cares, yes. But that is not what ultimately prompts His action. It is also not that Israel was doing the right things and winning God's approval. They aren't! Joshua will let us in on that little fact at the end of the book: Joshua 24:14 (ESV)   “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers

Exodus 2:11–13 (ESV)   One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” Moses Part 1 is impulsive, reckless, emotional and a bit arrogant. He sees an Egyptian doing what he did not approve of and kills him. Moses is an adopted son of Pharaoh. He could have court marshaled him. He could have reprimanded or punished him. He had many options. Moses just kills him. In that moment we see a man with passion but very little character. He's the impulsive diplomat who sees his position as one of sovereign autonomy... albeit an autonomy he keeps to himself as he hides the man in the sand. The next day he's at it again. T

Exodus 2:9–10 (ESV) And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses, “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.” If there's a common theme in both the birth, life, ministry and work of Moses' and Jesus' it is this: They had a lot of help from the female gender. The second chapter of Exodus opens with more female pronouns than you can imagine. Every main character in this story is a female. Moses' mother, sister and Pharaoh's daughter are all three mighty women who play a huge role in the redemption of Israel by delivering Moses. Even before this chapter, during Pharaoh's rage against the boys of Israel, Shiphrah and Puah get their names in the Biblical Canon for their brave defiance of Pharaoh's order. In my last post, I

Exodus tells us of the unstoppable and unimaginable growth of the nation of Israel in Egypt in the first chapter alone. This 400 year period turns a band of 70 into 600,000 men over 20 and much more in total. The estimates could be a nation of over 2 million including the other members of Israel's society. They are growing fast enough to alarm Pharaoh and move him to drastic measures to impede this phenomenon. Exodus 1:9–10 (ESV)  And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Pharaoh tries three things to impede the growth of the nation of God: 1. Make them slaves with bitter forced labor. This makes them grow even faster. Exodus 1:12 (ESV)   But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in drea

Join me as I spend some time in Exodus. We tend to believe Exodus is about escape from slavery. While that is the plot, the theme of Exodus is much much more than a simple and powerful story of deliverance. The key theme of Exodus is coming to "Know the Lord." The phrase, "know that I am the Lord" will appear at regular intervals throughout the book. In Egypt, Israel will grow large but shallow in her relationship to the Covenant Lord of Creation. Egypt will defy the Lord and Pharaoh will state this phrase, "Who is the Lord?" The first half of the book will illustrate WHO the Lord is.  The second half of the book will illustrate what knowing the Lord means. If we are to grow in our relationship with the Lord, this book is a wonderful place to start. So we begin: Exodus 1:1–8 (ESV)   These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjami

Genesis 50:24–26 (ESV) And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. I think the best part about a Christian's life is how they die. If they die believing God for greater things, if they die believing God is able, if they die still trusting the sovereign nature of our God and His promises - to me, that is a great testimony for the world. A Christian is not one who throws their hands in the air in frustration at the future. No! Our God is able! A Christian is able to face death not seeking to escape the cataclysm of the world but a Christian is able to face death know God's Spirit and power will work mightily through those comi

Genesis 50:23 (ESV)   And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. We usually end our studies of Genesis by looking only at Joseph's words concerning the things his brothers meant for evil but God used for good. But the book doesn't end there. There is something more to be said. Before the end of the story, there is this curious mention of Joseph's life as it comes to a close. He sees his children's children's children's children.  What does Joseph get as a result of the work of God in his life? He gets a big family.  The Hebrew wording of Genesis 50:23 is unique. The english version above doesn't translate well. The idea is of intimate familial relationships. It is literally translated,  "the children of Machir (Joseph's grandson) were born on Joseph's knees." That is, as a great-great-grandfater, Joseph bounced those children on his kn

Some call Genesis the "Pentateuch" of the Pentateuch. It's the introduction to the introduction of the Bible. Genesis provides us with the backdrop to God's story for what will be further worked out not only in Israel, but in the redemption of the world. That's good news when you see the final commentary on all that has happened in Genesis from Joseph himself in regards to evils befallen him due to his brothers. When they deceptively engineer forgiveness from them by pulling on his heart strings toward their deceased father, Joseph replies in summary: Genesis 50:19–21 (ESV)   But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Here we have it. God's plan for all evil. It shall be

When Jacob dies, the brothers of Joseph go right back to their scheming. They've been showered with grace and love by Joseph. He wept on their necks and provided them with the best place to live in Egypt. He took care of all their needs. YET... in spite of all he did for them... they still thought he'd be out to get them. Look what happens immediately after Jacob's passing: Genesis 50:15–17 (ESV) When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Notice Joseph's response to their statements. He's back to weeping ! It has to be

When Jacob passes away a very touching moment is recorded between him and Joseph. Some notable things do not happen as well. Genesis 50:1–3 (ESV) Then Joseph fell on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days. Genesis 50:10 (ESV) When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. The first 14 verses of Genesis 50 record a very long process of mourning and burial for Jacob. Egypt mourns 70 days! Pharaoh commissions Joseph to carry him to Canaan for burial and there Joseph mourns another seven days. The inhabitants see the mourning and say something particular:  Genesis 50:11 (ESV)  When the inh