Reading: Exodus 7:1-13 God commands Moses and Aaron to visit Pharaoh and demand Israel’s freedom. But, adds God, “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.” Pharaoh, who said “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice? (Exodus 5:2) has already rejected God’s… Continue reading Meditation: Exodus 7 (1 of 2)
Reading: Exodus 6:1-13 Israel complains that God brings them trouble and no deliverance (Exodus 5:22). God patiently responds: you wait and see what I will do to Pharaoh; he will drive you out. God adds “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty … I established My… Continue reading Meditation: Exodus 6
Reading: Exodus 5:1-9 and 17-23. Moses and Aaron tell Pharaoh “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go’ ”. Pharaoh refuses, and increases the burden on the Israelites. The people complain to Moses, who then complains to God. This is the beginning of a long and painful process to free Israel. Why… Continue reading Meditation: Exodus 5
Reading: Exodus 4:1-9 and 24, 26. Moses is not sure the Egyptians will believe he was sent by God, so the LORD gives him two signs. He changes Moses staff into a snake (vs 3) and makes his hand leprous (vs 6). Moses is to use these two miracles in Egypt, adding the ability to… Continue reading Meditation: Exodus 4
Reading: Exodus 3:1-10 The Israelites are burdened under Pharaoh’s cruel affliction. When they cry out God acknowledges them (Exodus 2:24). Israel suffers for a long time. Eighty years has passed since Moses is born, and now God leads him to Mt Horeb (also called Mt Sinai). There, from the burning bush, God says “I have… Continue reading Meditation: Exodus 3
Reading: Exodus 2:1-10 Egypt’s king is afraid of the Israelites (Ex 1:8), so he afflicts them with heavy burdens. “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.” (Ex 1:12). So Pharaoh makes a terrible decision: the murder of Israelite baby boys. The future of Israel, and the road to Jesus Christ,… Continue reading Meditation: Exodus 2
Reading: Exodus 1:1-22 Exodus 1 begins with the record of Jacob’s family coming down to Egypt. Vs 5 says “All those who were descendants of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already).” Exodus 12:37 tells us that this family had grown into a nation of 600,000 men in the space of 430… Continue reading Meditation: Exodus 1
Reading: Exodus 1:1-7 The name Exodus means: to depart. Overview of Exodus: In Genesis God begins to gather, defend, and preserve His church which He has chosen to everlasting life through Jesus Christ, as promised in Genesis 3:15. God builds His church through the families of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He makes His covenant with… Continue reading Meditation: Overview of Exodus
Reading: Genesis 50:1-6 and 15-26. Genesis records the great struggle between sin and grace; death and life. Will sin and death prevail? Or will grace and life be victorious? Cain kills Abel, leaves his parents and goes “out from the presence of the Lord” (Gen 4:16). Adam and Eve grieve; one son is physically dead,… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 50
Reading: Genesis 49:1,2, 8-12 and 28. Jacob blesses his 12 sons, one by one; they are under God’s special care, unlike all other nations. More details are revealed about God’s covenant blessings: for example, Canaan will be pleasant, fertile and rich in food (vs 11, 20). Israel will be preserved against enemies (vs 8, 17).… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 49
“The beginning of wisdom is the desire for discipline.” That’s a bit of a strange statement, because we have been schooled from childhood that the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” I guess that this is why the statement jumped out in the first place. However, the context was not a scriptural… Continue reading Beginning of wisdom
Reading: Genesis 48:1-16 Jacob gives Manasseh and Ephraim (Joseph’s sons) God’s covenant blessings. Joseph is the second most powerful person in Egypt; his wife is daughter of an Egyptian priest; his sons are Egyptian princes; their Egyptian education is excellent. From a human viewpoint Joseph’s two sons have a very secure future and do not… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 48
Reading: Genesis 47:1-12 and 27-31 Jacob’s family arrives in Egypt and are allowed to live in Goshen, which is well away from the Egyptians. God separates the church from the ungodly Egyptians and their culture to prevent dangerous mixing of the people. The family must remain strangers in Egypt and free to serve God and… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 47
Reading: Genesis 46 Jacob realises he must go to Egypt due to the famine, but it is hard to leave the Promised Land. The land is evidence of God’s blessings and His faithfulness to all His covenant promises. Must Jacob now leave the inheritance? The Lord understands Jacob’s struggle and assures him in a vision:… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 46
Reading: Genesis 45:1-11 Joseph has seen enough. His brothers have repented from their sins. They have genuine sorrow and are determined to do what is right. Now is the moment for truth, and what a dramatic moment it is. He orders all Egyptians out of the room, weeps aloud and reveals himself as their brother… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 45
Reading: Genesis 44:1-5 and 18-33 Joseph is not completely satisfied that the brothers have repented and that there is true love. So he tests them further. When the brothers go home he has his royal cup placed in Benjamin’s sack and has him seized. This brings a serious crisis for the brothers. They had promised… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 44
Reading: Genesis 43:1-14 and 24-31. Jacob sends his sons to Egypt, but does not want Benjamin to go. Judah convinces Jacob that Benjamin must accompany the brothers. Judah promises to be surety for Benjamin and bear the blame forever if something goes wrong (vs 9). How Judah has changed. Previously he too showed hatred to… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 43
Reading: Genesis 42:1-23 and 29. We saw previously that the church (Jacob’s family) is threatened. Enemies threaten them from the outside. Internally the church is filled with hatred, division and deception. The very existence of the church is in danger. Jacob does not act, therefore God must intervene. He remains faithful to His covenant promises.… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 42
Reading: Genesis 41:14-49 In Genesis 40 Joseph interprets the baker and butler’s dreams. Two years later Pharaoh has two dreams. Joseph tells Pharaoh and his court there will be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine. Joseph also wisely adds: “let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man” to reserve enough food… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 41
Reading: Genesis 40 In the darkness of a prison various threads from different lives come together to form an amazing tapestry, revealing to our human eyes God’s wonderful providence. First God leads events so that Joseph, a man from a family in another country, is put into this Egyptian jail. Second, the palace butler and… Continue reading Meditation: Genesis 40
