365 Reflections

Exodus 18:1–5 (ESV) Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2 Now Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, had taken Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her home, ... 5 Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness where he was encamped at the mountain of God. No one is meant to bear the burden of God's work in people alone.  Moses had done all that God said to do in Egypt. He confronted Pharaoh, he performed the signs, he did not back down and he led them out of Egypt. Not only that, but the original commission of God is made complete here in Exodus 18. Notice that Jethro comes to meet him at the mountain of God where the people are encamped to worship God.  Remember the original call from God was to do just that: Exodus 3:12 (ESV) “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I h...

Exodus 17:8–9  (ESV)   Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.  9   So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” The Amalekites are fierce foes of Israel from the moment they are free from Egypt. They come from Esau's grandson Amalek and take on Israel at Rephidim in hated animosity. This enemy will remain Israel's bitter rivals for centuries until the later part of David's reign. Sometimes you're going to have to deal with persistent trouble as you journey in God. It may not necessarily be people. It may be habits, addictions, pride or envy. These battles all have one thing in common no matter what they are: They don't just give up and go away. Now Moses knew what the answer was: Fight and pray. We have a famous image here of Moses holding up his hands for intercession as the war rages on: Exodus 17:10–11 (ESV)   So Joshua di...

The Israelites wanderings are illustrations of our lives with Christ in many ways. Just because they are "saved" from Egypt doesn't mean they are totally changed and faithful to God. In fact, the opposite is true. God saves former slaves who have serious issues of trust and confidence. They don't know where they are and they often forget whose they are. Exodus 17:1–3 (ESV) All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” .... Exodus 17:7 (ESV) And he calle...

Exodus 16:16–21 (ESV)   This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’ ” 17 And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. 18 But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. 19 And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” 20 But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them. 21 Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted. The Israelites ate manna for 40 years. We know that. But do we realize the routine that God put them in for those 40 years? It wasn't that God just had manna grow on the ground and walk ...

For Israel, it's time to learn that you can trust God for salvation and sustenance along the way. One thing is for sure, everyone is probably in a place they've never been. You've never been this old before, you've never been this experienced. Perhaps you've moved or you've been transferred or left by someone's passing or leaving you. Life will bring us to many places where doubts and fears can creep in to cause us fear. This is Israel's story in Exodus 16. It is not long after their split-sea release that the reality of their new life is set before them in the image of a barren wilderness. Gone is the familiarity of their sufferings. Even prisoners confess their fears of getting on the outside after being in the system for so long. What would Israel do on her own now? The first three days yield no water. The first sign of water is bitter water. They cry out to Moses who takes a stick (tree), throws it in the water and they become sweet. The go f...

Exodus 15:1 (ESV)  Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD, saying, “I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The enemy is defeated, Israel is finally and fully saved from Egypt FOREVER. And the first thing they do is SING. Saved people sing. We are drawn to song when our lives are redeemed from hopelessness to hope, from emptiness to fulness. If there's a strength in the people of God during the Old Testament it is their commitment to song. Consider that the Old Testament's longest book is a book of Psalms - the hymnbook of the Jewish people. Of all the things they could have collected, they made sure to collect their songs.  Songs have an emotional effect. How often does a song just hit us at the right time and lift our spirits to something we previously weren't experiencing. How many songs express our common emotions both good and bad. Many popular singers make million...

In the original creation order comes out of the midst of chaos. God speaks and light shines forth, the seas are divided and land appears. On the first three days of creation God has created the frames in which all life will be experienced. Now, in the middle of the second book of the Bible, those images are going to reappear in the establishment of Israel, God's chosen. Escaping into the wilderness was step one. The people are vast and numerous. And yet God first leads them into what appears to be more chaos. Notice: Exodus 14:1–3 (ESV)  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea. For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.’ The people look chaotic, first hastily running out of Egypt, then going the long hard route toward Canaan and now here God tells...

Exodus 13:17-18 (ESV)   When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.”   18 But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle. Exodus 13:21–22 (ESV)   And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people. God saves and God guides. Take that to the bank. As soon as Israel is free God steps in to lead them where they should go. Notice a few things about this passage. God leads them gently. The people will war in time but the Lord knows they are not ready for it now. Though...

Exodus 13:11–13 (ESV)   “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord ’s. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. The most powerful theme of our salvation is redemption. God has purchased us with the blood of the spotless Lamb, Jesus. Here in Exodus 13 we see the foreshadowing of that truth in a practice of Israel established immediately after their release from slavery.  It is interesting that this matter should be addressed immediately following the deliverance of the Israelites. God's first order of business is to institute the practice of redemption so that they will not forget what is most important. Instead of telling them ...

You either accept that God can do the miraculous or you don't. It's often that simple. Rejecting God can do the miraculous, however, leads one to the most silly readings of scripture imaginable. For instance, I find it hard to believe how some commentators treat this passage: Exodus 12:37  (ESV)   And the people of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children .  The number that messes them up is the 600,000 men on foot, or fighting men in some translations. That would mean there were 2 to 3 million Israelites coming out of Egypt after just 400 years of slavery. Some commentators try to change the number based on the word "eleph" for "thousand" to become something far more manageable. They cannot imagine that many people being there! Think about that for a moment. They want to reduce God's multiplication. It's very laughable. For one, that number is repeated several more times with...

Exodus 12:24–27 (ESV) You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. 25 And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord ’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped. The Passover feast is central to Israelite worship in the Old Testament. It is the most important of the feast and it begins the new year for the people of God. They were to celebrate this convocation as a community every year forever. Think of that! Every year forever! Why does God instruct them to repeat this feast every year? Because it is a reminder to the entire nation - we are who we are because of God's power and salvation, not our goodness or works! I t...