Exodus 13:1-16 Instituting Redemption of Firstborn Males

God took time to establish a new law regarding the firstborn males, whether human or farm animals:  "Give every firstborn male to Me.  Every firstborn male among the Israelites belongs to Me, whether man or animal."

My commentary says, "Each time a firstborn male, man or beast, came into the world, that firstborn issue had to be redeemed.  Because of God's mighty acts in protecting and redeeming His people and saving the firstborn of humans and livestock from death (during the night of the first Passover), all the firstborn belonged to God.  They were sanctified, that is, set apart for God's exclusive possession."

Moses would later give them instructions about how parents/farmers were to "get back" their firstborn in Lev. 12 and Numbers 18:14-19.  That act of redemption would be explained to the son and would pass on the legacy of the exit from Egypt to a new generation.  Because God was saving the Israelites, the firstborn redemption sacrifice did not apply to other nations.

Father, still I am thankful that I was a firstborn and that You redeemed me through the blood of Your Firstborn.  Thank You for adopting me into Your family!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 12:29-51 Promise Kept

As the Death Angel worked through Egypt, the Israelites were protected by the Passover.  God revealed His power to the Egyptians by killing the firstborn in every family and the firstborn of their livestock.  He kept His promise to the Israelites who's obeyed His instructions and trusted Him in faith regarding the Passover.  Then He delivered the people by so overwhelming Pharaoh that he caved to God's power, letting the Israelites leave Egypt 430 years to the day from the time they'd arrived.  As my commentary stated, "God's promises are never in error and His timing is never wrong."

Father, thank You for Your watchcare over my family and Your answers to my prayers yesterday.  Continue to show Your power and glory in our lives.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 12:1-28 The Sacrificial Lamb

God gave Moses the instructions for preparing to leave Egypt and for a new national remembrance that actually spanned centuries into the future.  Once the Israelites selected a lamb, there was a 5-day wait as they inspected the lamb to ensure that it met the qualifications, followed by the hurried preparation of both a meal and their homes -- marking the doorposts with the blood of the lamb and removing all yeast from their houses.  

Also, God commanded that no one could leave their home until Moses gave the signal.  They actually ate the meal dressed and ready to travel, expecting to receive the signal during the meal.  Not only was God establishing an annual remembrance, but unknown to them, He was also laying out the blueprint for the death of His Son years down the road for our sins.

With their homes and meal prepared, they waited and hoped they'd done everything required so that the Death Angel would pass over them.

Father God, we should fear sin the way they feared the Death Angel, yet we should also have assurance that our faith in You and Your Son will see us through that cold, dark, deep river into Your very presence someday.  Thank You for accepting me into Your eternal presence through the death of Your Son in my place!

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 11:1-10 Payback Is Coming

These verses set up what was to happen next:  "The king will send all of you away from Egypt ... he will force you to leave completely."  It's so very opposite from what Pharaoh had been doing.

On the Israelite side, my commentary said, "Moses told the Jewish people that the time had come for them to collect their unpaid wages for all the work they and their ancestors had done as slaves in Egypt."  Wow!

When Moses warned him about the coming death of the firstborn, "Pharaoh had no fear of God in his heart; therefore, he didn't take Moses' words seriously.  But in rejecting God's word, Pharaoh caused the finest young men inf the land to die and therefore brought profound sorrow to himself and to his people."

Some would cry, "Unfair!" at that outcome, but I continued reading this:  "At the very beginning of their conflict, Moses warned Pharaoh that the way he treated God's firstborn would determine how God treated Egypt's firstborn.  Pharaoh had tried to kill the Jewish male babies, and his officers had brutally mistreated the Jewish slaves, so in slaying the firstborn, the Lord was simply paying pharaoh back with his own currency."

God, please remind me often of this so that I will not sin against You.  I don't want others to suffer for my sin the way Pharaoh's nation did.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 10:21-29 The Darkness Comes

"The darkness over the land for three days proved that Jehovah was greater than Ra and Horus, both of whom the Egyptians revered as sun gods," my commentary said.  "There was light for the Israelites in Goshen."

It was total and absolute darkness, not a sandstorm.  God had told Moses, "It will be so dark you will be able to feel it."  Apparently the darkness even absorbed the light from fires, lanterns, candles, and anything else they might have tried to use to light their way, for the Bible says, "No one could see anyone else."

Pharaoh called Moses in and told him to take his people and go, but leave the livestock (remember that the Egyptian livestock had been wiped out by the other plagues).  Moses wouldn't agree, and Pharaoh had him thrown out, even telling him he'd be killed if he returned.

"But the Lord made the king stubborn again."  My commentary said, "The hardening of Pharaoh's heart is a warning to all of us.  If the sinful human heart doesn't respond by faith to God's Word, it cannot be transformed by the grace of God.  Instead, it will become harder and harder the longer it resists God's truth."

Father, I too well remember a time when my heart hardened to You, yet You didn't give up!  You pursued me until I gave in and surrendered to Your love.  Thank You for doing that for me!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 10:1-20 Pharaoh's Officers Cry "Enough!"

"God added another reason for the great display of His wonders in the plagues:  that the Jews might be able to tell the generations to come about the awesome power of their great God," my commentary began.

Moses and Aaron asked Pharaoh how long he was going to persist in his pride and refuse to humble himself before God.  They warned him that failure to obey would result in the destruction of all remaining vegetation in Egypt.

Pharaoh's officers even told him that Egypt was already economically ruined and further damage was unthinkable.  Pharaoh almost relented when he asked Moses and Aaron who would be going on the worship trip, then he told them only the men could leave.  How stupid WAS he?

The invasion began and proceeded exactly as Moses had described.  "Once again Pharaoh sought for relief without repentance, and God mercifully granted his request," my commentary said.  That just proves how merciful God can be despite our sins.

Father, I continue to be amazed at Your love despite our sin, and at the extent to which You are willing to show mercy to even Your enemies!  Thank You for the mercies You've shown to me.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 9:13-35 Hail Arrives

Besides the personally foul plagues, Egypt has now lost the greater part of its livestock.  Now another economic disaster was about to occur.  The flax and barley crops were ripe and ready for harvest and they would be completely destroyed by the hailstorm -- the worst in Egypt's history.  The remaining livestock that had survived the fifth plague by not being in the fields would now be lost if not gathered into barns away from the hail.  In fact, any humans caught outside would suffer death as well.  The trees would even be crushed by the hail!  Only the land where the Israelites lived would not be affected.

Moses was called to Pharaoh's palace during the hailstorm, and this time, Pharaoh freely admitted that he had sinned.  My commentary said, "However, his confession was insincere because it didn't lead to obedience."

"God in His grace answered Moses' prayer and stopped the plague.  Pharaoh in his duplicity reneged on his promise and wouldn't let Israel go.  When would he ever learn that you can't fight against God and win?" my commentary added.

Father, I know I cannot fight against You and win, yet there are still times that my human side wants its own way.  I'm sorry when I disobey, and I'm thankful for Your grace.  I'm glad that You understand that we are only human, and that Your Son paid for all of my sins -- past, present, and future.  Help me not to add to the pain He willingly bore on my behalf.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 9:1-12 Digging Deeper Holes

The fifth plague killed all Egyptian livestock that were in the fields.  Pharaoh had been given 24 hours to release the Israelites, but his heart was hardened.  God had also promised that Israel's livestock would be fine.  Pharaoh even sent inspectors to see if that was true.

Without warning, God hit them with the sixth plague.  Following His directions, Moses and Aaron took handfuls of ashes from the lime-kilns to Pharaoh's palace and threw them into the air, where the wind caught them and spread them all over the country.  The ashes caused festering boils to immediately develop all over the Egyptians' bodies.  Yet Pharaoh still did not relent!  

Father, please don't let me become stubborn again.  Call out to me and draw me back when I sin.  I don't want to be out of Your presence.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 8:20-32 Egyptian Compromises

God told Moses to warn Pharaoh of the next plague -- flies -- if he failed to release the Jewish people.  He also added, "But I will not treat the Israelites the same as the Egyptian people.  There will not be any flies in the land of Goshen, where My people live."  Sure enough, flies overran the country of Egypt the next day.  But the land where the Israelites were was fly-free!  Once again, Pharaoh begged and promised, Moses prayed, God removed the plague, and Pharaoh changed his mind.  He had compromised and said that they could leave, but just couldn't go very far.  Yet he didn't even allow that.

My commentary said, "God's people face similar Egyptian compromises today as we seek to serve the Lord.  The enemy tells us we don't have to be separated from sin because we can serve God in the land.  God's reply is found in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.  'Don't go too far away', the enemy whispers, 'or people will call you a fanatic.'  James 1:27 and 4:4 demolish that proposal.  True service to God means giving Him authority over all our possessions and all the people in our family for whom we're responsible ... Once we start to negotiate the will of God and see how close we can get to the world, we have already disobeyed Him in our hearts."

Father, keep me close.  Help me not to think and act like Pharaoh.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 8:8-19 Getting Rid of Frogs And Gnats

The frogs made life unbearable for the Egyptians.  "Pharaoh was so anxious to be rid of them that he offered to let the Jewish people go on their worship trip if Moses and Aaron complied with his request."  They told him to name the time.  It seems crazy that he didn't say, "Right now!"  My commentary said he may have been hoping for failure to deliver on Moses' part, or perhaps he was gambling that the frogs  might leave on their own and he wouldn't have to keep his end of the bargain, which he didn't anyway.

God was being merciful to the Egyptians by removing the frogs, but Pharaoh only hardened his heart more.  "Neither God's mercy nor God's power caused him to repent and obey."

God told Moses the dust would turn into gnats, and He gave no warning to Pharaoh.  My commentary mentioned a subtle undertone of this plague.  The Egyptians were fanatical about cleanliness, even shaving their bodies to be acceptable to their gods.  Unclean gnats invading their bodies made life miserable for them, and their gods could do nothing to deliver them!

God wasn't finished yet.  He still had 7 more plagues to go!

Father, none of us have ever witnessed anything like the plagues we've read about so far, and I dare say there are many Americans today who would be just as stubborn as Pharaoh, were it to happen to us.  Please soften our hearts and allow us to not be deceived as a nation by Satan.  Show Yourself and Your power to us to draw our nation to You.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 6:28-8:7 A Few Little Puzzles To Draw Us Nearer To God

The first three plagues hit Egypt.  There were several things that I wondered about, the first of which was something I read in my commentary:  "The miracles and plagues were also God's way of judging the gods of Egypt and proving them false and futile.  'Against the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment.  I am the Lord.' Exodus 12:12"  The question I had was whether these gods of Egypt were actually demons reporting to Satan or figments of the people's imagination.  I could see God executing judgment against real spiritual beings (He'd done that before with Satan and his angels).  I don't know what executing judgment against a non-existent "being" would consist of.  

Next, I wondered about what I read in 7:18 where God said, "The Egyptians will not be able to drink the water from the Nile."  It would change to blood, God said.  There's potentially an unspoken implication here, I think.  God not only changed the Nile water, but also the water in rivers, canals, ponds, pools, wooden buckets, and stone jars to blood, eliminating the entire readily-available water supply for the Egyptians.  But what about for His people?  There's no mention of the Israelites suffering without water.  (7:25 says this plague lasted a week).  So I began to wonder -- perhaps the Egyptians couldn't drink the water, but maybe the Israelites could.  That's an even bigger miracle, if the Egyptians could find nothing to drink, yet the Israelites noticed nothing different!  God could have made it become blood for one group while the other group noticed no difference!

The stupidity of Pharaoh's magicians seemed incredible.  Somehow, they came up with some pure water (possibly from the wells the Egyptian people began digging near the Nile), and they allegedly turned that pure water into blood to prove that their power was equal to God's.  Pharaoh is dying of thirst and they rob him of a drink to prove a point!  The same thing happened with the frogs.  Frogs were EVERYWHERE, yet somehow they manage to produce MORE frogs out of thin air??  I could just hear Pharaoh screaming, "You idiots!  Are you insane??!  STOP!!"

A last little tidbit is God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart, which kept him from giving in and letting the Israelites go.  I don't believe for a minute that God was causing Pharaoh to sin.  It instead seems like God was removing any path for or desire that Pharaoh might have to repent and obey.  

Father, I don't even want to say, "I can't wait to ask You about this when I get to Heaven," because when I finally see Your face, I won't care about anything else for eternity.  Instead, I thank You for leaving us little puzzles that cause us to draw closer to You!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 5:1-6:27 Three Questions

When Moses went to Pharaoh, Pharaoh asked two questions.  Moses asked God one question.

Pharaoh's:

1)  Why should I obey the Lord? -- His own people believed that Pharaoh was a god.  "If Pharaoh obeyed the edict to let the Jew leave, he would be acknowledging a deity greater than himself, and he wasn't about to do that.  In his pride and false security, Pharaoh wouldn't listen to the words of the living God," my commentary said.

2)  Why should the work stop? -- "The enslavement of the Israelites was a great boost to the economy of Egypt, and Pharaoh wasn't about to give up a good thing."  Even if the Israelites intended to return, three days' travel each way and at least a day to worship would mean a whole week of labor lost.

Moses':

3)  Why have You sent me? -- Rather than disbelief, I liked what my commentary said:  "Moses did what all spiritual leaders must do when the going is tough:  He took his burden to the Lord and honestly talked to Him about the situation ... God's chosen servants must expect opposition and misunderstanding, because that's part of what it means to be a leader, and leaders must know how to get alone with God, pour out their hearts, and seek His strength and wisdom."

In response, God made seven "I will ..." promises.  At the heart of them was, "I will take you to Me for a people."  WOW!

And that's what He's still saying today.  Regardless of what we've done, He still reaches out in love to us all but we have to respond and accept that great love.

Father, I still respond in awe that You love me despite my sins, that You even gave Your Son up for me, to remove those sins, and that You want me with You forever!  Such love!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 4:18-31 Heading Out

Moses had his orders from God, and now he faced leaving the place he'd lived for the last 40 years, taking his family back with him to Egypt.  They'd never seen the wonders there where Moses had once lived.  My commentary listed five encouragements God gave Moses:

1)  His father-in-law's blessing -- Moses only told Jethro that he wanted to return to Egypt to see if his family members were still alive.  Jethro readily agreed and , as the priest of Midian, blessed him for his journey.

2)  The promises of God -- God promised him that those who'd wanted to kill him had died.  He told Moses that He would enable him to do the miracles He'd shown him, but He also informed him that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened.

3)  Zapporah's obedience -- There's not a lot of information here, but my commentary said that possibly Moses' wife had resisted when Moses had circumcised his first son, and that he had not circumcised his second son as a result.  For that lack of obedience, Moses almost died.  Seeing what was happening, his wife quickly took a flint knife and completed the ritual, agreeing to obey the Lord's command.  As my commentary said, it wouldn't do for a servant of God to disobey a command of God.

4)  Aaron's arrival -- It's hard to imagine two brothers being able to find each other "somewhere in Egypt or Arabia", but God directed them.  Aaron would become Moses' spokesman to the Jewish people for the next 40 years and would start the Jewish priesthood after accompanying Moses to Egypt.

5)  The nation's faith -- Moses had worried that the older Jewish leaders wouldn't believe that God had sent him, but once they saw the miracles, they did listen and believe, and when they heard that God was concerned about them and was going to rescue them from Egypt, they bowed down in worship.

Moses knew, though, that he had a battle ahead, but his trust was in the Lord, and he was ready for this next phase of his life.

Father, You've moved me to new phases in my life over the last few years.  Help me to trust You as Moses did and to know that You have the power to make all of Your plans happen.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 3:1 - 4:17 How Should I Respond When God Calls?

God wasn't reminding me about the burning bush story this morning.  He used my commentary to remind me how I am to respond to Him, and how not to respond.

Moses was "taken out of service" for 40 years when he left Egypt.  Now, at age 80, God is calling him back to serve again.  "It's significant that God calls people who are busy," my commentary said, citing Gideon, Samuel, David, Elisha, and several of the apostles.  So I cannot us the excuse of being too busy when God calls.

That burning bush, it said, was a picture of what God had planned for Moses.  "He was the weak bush, but God was the empowering fire, and with God's help, Moses could accomplish anything."

"God's statement, 'Behold, I will send you' must have astonished Moses.  Why would God choose a failure?"  He should have rejoiced at answered prayer for his people, and submitted to God's will, yet he instead argued and tried to escape it.

Saying, "I'm a nobody," he was forgetting that "what Moses thought of himself or what others thought of Moses really wasn't important.  God had spoken and that was all Moses needed for assurance ... Why was he looking at himself instead of looking by faith to the Lord?  'I will be with you' is all the assurance God's servants need in order to succeed."

Moses was concerned about his credentials when he would stand before the older Jewish leaders.  God then gave him signs and miracles to show them.  "The Jews require a sign," then and still now.  "I AM is all that we need in every circumstance of life, and it's foolish for us to argue."  He could easily enable Moses to speak His Word in power, as He can us today.

"Moses was making the mistake of looking at himself instead of looking to God.  The God who made us is able to use the gifts and abilities He's given us to accomplish the tasks He assigns to us."

Moses appeared to be displaying humility, when years before he rashly did what he thought was right.  He was "making the mistake of looking at himself instead of looking to God.  Humility isn't thinking poorly of ourselves; it's simply not thinking of ourselves at all but making God everything.  The humble servant thinks only of God's will and God's glory, not his or her own inadequacy, success, or failure.

After all this reassurance from God, it must have really pained God when Moses asked him to please get someone else to do it!  "Moses calls Him Lord yet refuses to obey His orders ... we've made the same mistake.  If God isn't Lord of all, He isn't Lord at all."  God told him that Aaron was already on his way and would speak to the people for him (but that left out Pharaoh).  Moses had gotten something he wanted, but I loved my commentary's warning about it:  "When God in His anger gives us what we selfishly want, that gift rarely turns out to be a blessing.  One of the most painful judgments God can send is to let His people have their own way ... God knows us better than we know ourselves, so we must TRUST HIM and obey what He tells us to do.  When we tell God our weaknesses, we aren't sharing anything He doesn't already know.  The will of God will never lead you where the power of God can't enable You, so walk by faith in His promises.

Father, I remember when You called to me in Russia to adopt, and I was never more certain of anything in my life.  Regardless of what popped up, I knew You had spoken and were in charge and would change things to make it happen.  Help me to have that same assurance and belief today and for the rest of my life here on earth.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 2:11-25 The Deliverer Prepared

My commentary calls this section "The Deliverer Prepared".  "Moses spent his first 40 years serving in the Egyptian bureaucracy ... In equipping Moses for service, God took several approaches."

1)  Education -- Moses received an Egyptian education, which was likely the pinnacle of learning at the time.  But raised by his mother until he was weaned, he never forgot his people.  Regarding education, my commentary mentioned:  "The servant of God should learn all he can, dedicate it to God, and faithfully serve God."

2)  Failure -- Moses made a courageous decision to interfere when he saw an Egyptian officer beating a Jews.  My commentary says that the work for beating can mean beating to death.  He attacked the Egyptian officer to save the man's life.  If the officer then attacked him, he would be fighting in self-defense.  He killed the Egyptian and hid the body, but the next day, while attempting to stop a fight between to Jewish men, it became apparent that his secret was out, and Pharaoh sought to kill him, so Moses ran away to Midian.

3)  Solitude and humble service -- His courageous nature again led him to defend seven women attempting to water their father's sheep.  Competing shepherds had chased them away from the well, but Moses defended them and watered their sheep.  The grateful father opened his home to him and gave him one of his daughters to marry.  "The man who was mighty in word and deed in Egypt is now in the lonely pastures taking care of stubborn sheep, but that was just the kind of preparation he needed for leading a nation of stubborn people."

Father, I see Your hand in all You've prepared me for.  I wait joyously to see how You will use me in the future.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford