Exodus

Caution Advisable

“They are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” Revelation 16:14

People usually follow those who perform miracles whether real or illusionary. The reason is that they want the benefit of the miracle. They have no other interest in the person who performs such miracles. Sometime after feeding the five thousand Jesus said, “You seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26). Jesus knew their heart and saw that they wanted what He gave but they didn’t want Him. Neither did they see any purpose in the miracle apart from their need.

Though Jesus did many signs, wonders and miracles, and multitudes followed Him at first, when they realised that following Him would cost everything they deserted Him. They left Him because they wanted the miracle and not Jesus himself. The miracles drew followers because they sought their own pleasure not because they had any interest in spiritual truth or in Jesus.

Signs, wonders and miracles will attract a large following. What the followers may fail to realise is that Satan and demons are also able to perform miracles. They counterfeit Jesus and the prophets in order to deceive and bring people into bondage. The sorcerers of Egypt, leading up to Israel’s exodus, were able to deceive Pharaoh and the Egyptians by duplicating the miracles of Moses (Exodus 7:11-13, 22; 8:7). False prophets could perform signs (Deuteronomy 13) and God’s people needed to be able to discern the origin of the signs.

In the New Testament there are several references to the satanic or demonic origin of miracles. Jesus affirmed it in Matthew 7:22; 24:24 and Mark 13:22. Paul also affirmed that Satan could and would perform signs and wonders in 2 Thessalonians 2:9. Apparently Judas who betrayed Jesus was able to perform miracles (Matthew 10:1-4) and the Pharisees believed that Satan could perform miracles (Matthew 12:24). In Revelation 13:13 we read that the demonic power behind the second beast is able to perform signs including bringing down fire from heaven.

The majority will follow the miracle worker seeking their own benefit. They will not give attention to the nature or purpose of the one performing the sign and will be deceived and brought into bondage. People who demand God perform signs or miracles are already in bondage. In the verse above (Revelation 16:14) we have one of the last expressions of this. Demons will perform signs with the result that people will follow them in a battle against God. The outcome is certain. Only the few who choose Jesus Christ and are discerning will not be deceived.

We must be able to discern the origin of miracles – or risk being deceived. Miracles do happen, but we should be careful in attributing origin; and we must be careful as to whether it is the miracle or Jesus Christ that we really want. In the tribulation those who attribute the signs of the demons to God will find themselves fighting against God. If we attribute miracles of satanic or demonic origin to God we will also find ourselves fighting Jesus Christ. Do not automatically attribute every miracle to God, be discerning!

Liberty in Leaving All

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple” Luke 14:33

This verse is the third reason in this passage that Jesus says prevents one from being His disciple. The first is in verse twenty six where He demands supreme love. Since we are commanded to love our spouse, our parents, our children, other Christians and even our enemies Jesus is surely not saying that we should actually hate them. What He is saying that if we really are a disciple of His our first and greatest love will be easily seen to be Him (cf. Revelation 2:4). An aspect of this love will be to love others as we are often told but it will leave an observer in no doubt that He has the absolute pre-eminence. Anything else is idolatry and rebellion against the first commandment (Exodus 20:3; Matthew 22:37)

The second reason that prevents a person being a disciple of Jesus is that they have other loyalties. Jesus demands supreme loyalty. Anyone who has ambitions of their own has not taken up their “cross.” Taking up one’s cross means to die to one’s own ambitions and will. Not my will but His will is the way of life. It is possible to give the appearance of dying to self without giving loyalty to Jesus. It is cloaked in terms like, “I am doing this for Jesus.” No, you are doing it for the praise of others and the feeling that you are doing good and merit Jesus’ “Well done.” I have heard many testimonies of people who started out this way only to realise later that the Lord was withholding blessing because their motive was wrong.

The third reason why a person may not be a disciple of Jesus is that they are held captive by materialism. The wealth is not the issue but the attachment to it is. Even a relatively poor person can be held captive by material possessions. Jesus came to set the captive free so a disciple is one who is experiencing supreme liberty by not being held captive to temporal possessions or the admiration of others. It is this liberty that makes him free to obey Jesus in any matter. When one knows this liberty in Jesus Christ he will not be held captive to anyone or anything else and is therefore His disciple.

The three excuses for not attending the wedding in the parable preceding this passage (vv 18-20) seem to parallel the three reasons for refusing to be a disciple of Jesus. They all had other priorities that might be considered legitimate and reasonable but they all displaced supreme love and loyalty for Jesus and liberty in Jesus. The things that prevent a person being a disciple may not be evil or wrong in themselves but they become that when they displace Jesus as Lord. We need to be careful that we do not deceive ourselves on any of these points and thereby disqualify ourselves from being a disciple of Jesus. We do want to be profitable servants of his so let us serve with Jesus following His direction and lead and not trying to do something of our choosing for Him.

A Red Sea Day

“You will arise and have mercy on Zion;

For the time to favour her,

Yes, the set time, has come”

Psalm 102:13

The writer of this Psalm follows the pattern of several other Psalms. It is a pattern from which we can learn and profit in our daily lives. We may not be in his exact situation but it is possible that we will have similar thoughts and feel the same emotions as a result of seemingly impossible situations in which we find ourselves.

In the first eleven verses we discover that he feels as though the Lord has deserted him and death looms large and imminent (v 11). His enemies clearly have the upper hand (v 8) and in great agony of heart and desperation he calls out to the Lord for speedy relief. He requests speedy relief because his end seems at hand.

His pain is revealed in that he is deeply affected emotionally (vv 3, 4). This has also caused a loss of appetite so that he is not eating properly – if at all (v 5), and is causing him to lose sleep (vv 6, 7). Out of this he cries out to the Lord for a speedy response (v 2).

The Lord’s response to the psalmist is recorded from verse twelve and commences with, “But You, O Lord …”

The response the writer receives is a guide for us when we feel that we are in an impossible situation. For truly “born from above” Christians we can expect this will happen at least several times in our walk with the Lord. It is a part of learning to trust the Lord at our “Red Sea” times. Do you remember that when Israel left Egypt the Lord wasted no time in bringing Israel to an impossible situation at the Red Sea? Read about it in Exodus 14.

As the psalmist writes his eyes are lifted to the horizon of time when Israel will rise to glory under the Lord’s hand and leadership (vv 13, 21, 22). Not only is he gazing with the eye of faith in God’s covenant promises toward the earthly reign of Messiah Jesus on King David’s throne in Jerusalem but also to the more distant horizon where he sees the new heavens and new earth (v 26). On that horizon is the New Jerusalem lit up by the glory of God 24/7 with no need of the sun (Revelation 21:22-27).

When we focus on our short term problems the Lord will provoke us to lift our eyes to see His long term outcome. This will restore a correct perspective and renew hope even when we feel despair in what appears to be a hopeless situation. When Joshua was faced with an impossible situation “he lifted his eyes and looked” (Joshua 5:13) and the answer was before him. Another Psalm (123:1) encourages us:

“Unto You, I lift my eyes,

O You who dwell in the heavens”

In Psalm 121:1 the writer lifts his eyes and sees his enemies in the hills and asks the question, “From whence comes my help?” The answer is in the next verse, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Many of us will face impossible situations in the coming year. Perhaps you can already feel the sands of your “Red Sea” between your toes. Just as the Lord led Israel to that impossible situation He has led or will lead you to yours. Lift your eyes to the horizon of time that the Lord gives in the Bible. It is the Lord who made heaven and earth and will make a new heaven, new earth and New Jerusalem who will open the way for you.

The Moses Syndrome

 “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock? Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly” Numbers 20:10, 11

The language of Moses and the context of this event suggest that Moses had lost his cool with the people over their continuing disobedience, lack of faith in the Lord and their rebellious nature toward the Lord. Only one who has never had to lead or manage another person or people would have difficulty identifying with his frustration.

However, for Moses and Aaron, prophet and priest, this single act of Moses would bar them from entering the Promised Land. What was it that Moses had done that invoked such a reaction from God? It may seem such a trivial and excusable action to us that we cannot fathom why the Lord would so humiliate Moses before all Israel.

Understanding as to why the Lord took such a strong action is evident in the passage. That evidence also reveals why many Christian never enter the rest of God (Psalm 95; Hebrews 4).

The command of God was to “speak to the rock” (v 8) but Moses “struck the rock twice with his rod.” The rod is symbolic of the authority of God which is evident throughout the exodus. This can be more readily seen in Numbers 21 when a bronze serpent is mounted on Moses’ rod. The question arises, “Was Moses prevented from entering the Promised Land because he was disobedient?” That might seem the case but we need to look deeper. Why didn’t Moses obey the exact literal word of the Lord?

The reason given by the Lord in verse twelve has two linked parts in it. Firstly Moses did not “believe” the Lord. As we read the history of Moses to this point it is very evident that Moses did believe the word of the Lord or he would not be where he was doing what he was. What has happened? Secondly, the Lord says that Moses did not “hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel.” To “hallow” is to esteem as holy or separate from that which is unholy.

When we combine the words of the Lord with the words and actions of Moses in verses ten and eleven we can see that Moses had made a huge shift in his own identification. He was identifying himself (intrinsically unholy) with the Lord (intrinsically holy) instead of the people Israel (intrinsically unholy). For a moment in his life spiritual pride arose in Moses’ heart and he spoke to Israel as if he was God. He had momentarily forgotten that he was also a rebel. In so doing he forgot his place and stole away the people’s concept of the holiness of God. In effect, he made himself equal with God (intrinsically holy). This may have been part of the reason for the murderous attitude of the Pharisees and scribes toward Jesus when He claimed equality with the Father.

Since Moses was the leader of God’s people there would have to be a significant consequence if the people of Israel were to have a true concept of the holiness of God restored in their minds.

When we have a critical spirit we are the same as Moses as he was at that time. Instead of pleading with our holy God on behalf of other believers we criticise them from a proud and arrogant heart. We could emulate King David as revealed in Psalm 35:11-14. A critical person will not experience the “rest” of God and they will darken, if not destroy, other people’s perception of the holiness of God.

The Road Ahead

“Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud remained above the tabernacle, the children of Israel would remain encamped and not journey; but when it was taken up, they would journey” Numbers 9:22

It would be a rare person who had no interest in what lay ahead in their lives. It would be so rare that we might consider that person not sound of mind. Historically people have tried and tested many methods of discovering their future for both short term and long term. Our daily papers and other media pamper to this desire in people. Even though they all fail the test of 100% accuracy many people still turn to them in a vain attempt to quieten their anxiety. The opposite seems to be the case. They become more anxious.

God says to us through the Apostle Paul, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). The fact is that we can either remain anxious or pray and trust the Lord.

The Lord told Abraham what He was about to do in Sodom (Genesis 18:17, 18) because he was His friend (Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). The Lord tells believers future events for their comfort (1 Thessalonians 4:18) and not be anxious. This is one of the reasons God has told us things before they happen. He also tells us things ahead so that we can discern that it is truly Him speaking (Deuteronomy 18:15-22). The test of a true prophet of God given in this passage is 100% accuracy. All other future tellers are false.

A new generation of Israel that did not know slavery in Egypt was growing and, like all of us, had a tendency to be anxious about the future. This generation had not seen the signs and miracles in Egypt or the Red Sea crossing but they would have to learn to trust and obey the Lord. People will only voluntarily obey one whom they trust. To build this trust and obedience the Lord led Israel through the wilderness areas for forty years. They did not know from day to day whether they would remain camped or be on the move. What they learned through this was trust and obedience. They were warned to stay away from others who claimed to tell the future because that would have destroyed their trust in the Lord and their obedience to Him. This did happen in later generations in varying degrees.

We can either trust Him or be anxious. We can either come to Him in prayer or go to the soothsayers of our day. Which we do will decide our enjoyment in life. The one who trusts the Lord will find great joy, peace and pleasure in obeying Him and they will love life. If that is true of us then we should expect that our faces will reflect that.

Each evening when we go to bed thank the Lord for His gracious leading and presence for that day and in the morning wake up expectantly for His gift of a new day. We may think we know what is going to happen today but in reality we only have plans that can be changed or destroyed in a moment. The Lord knows every detail ahead and if we believe Him to be trustworthy then we will trust Him and enjoy the journey no matter what surprises enter our day.

Israel was essentially forced to obey. Where the pillar of cloud or fire was, that was where the manna would be next morning. Each individual’s enjoyment of the night and day was dependent upon their level of trust in the Lord. It is the same for us.

Outside the Camp

“Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting.” (Exodus 33:7)

Any time that we read about the people of Israel, whether they did well or poorly, we should remember that we are people just as they were and we are all descendants of Adam. Their behaviour and ours all stem from the same corrupt and fallen nature that we inherited from Adam.

In hindsight we may be inclined to be overly critical of Israel’s stubborn stiff-necked attitude and behaviour toward the Lord. But if we are careful and honest in heart-searching we will discover that we are just like them.

The Lord had been pleased to presence Himself in the midst of Israel’s camp until now but their open rebellion described in chapter 32, in breaking the blood covenant, made that impossible. Israel had vowed, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient” (24:7) and yet so soon after making that vow they had broken it.

Israel’s rebellion created a situation that the Lord could not ignore. He had a plan for Israel. They are to be a holy nation so there must be a cleansing before He can dwell in their midst again. At this time the preparations for the sanctuary that would later be called the tabernacle were under way but the Lord was presently meeting with Moses in his own tent. Symbolic of Israel’s rejection of the Lord Moses moved his tent well outside the camp. The people had removed the Lord from their heart and this would be a constant physical reminder of what they had done. They had rejected the Lord and could not now approach His presence. The Lord was no longer in their midst. He was in a more distant place.

Moses was insistent that the Lord find a way to presence Himself in the midst of the people. He went so far as to say, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here” (33:15). How many of us come before the Lord with that attitude with regard to our personal lives and that of our church? Would we rather die that live without the Lord or our church die unless the Lord is in the midst? This is the heart behind the well memorised verse in Revelation 3:20; “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him, and he with Me.”  It isn’t enough to lament that the Lord is no longer present with us. We must be as desperate as Moses was, such that we refuse to go on without His presence.

Knowing this situation would arise, the Lord had already prepared the way by which He could presence Himself in the midst of a rebellious but now also repentant people. The tabernacle, yet to be put together, would show the way, albeit with a final veil. It pictured the lord Jesus Christ. That final veil was only torn away by the Lord when He shed His own blood at Calvary. Now we not only have access to the Lord but He is present with His people.

The awareness of His presence will be lost if we are “stiff-necked” and do not obey His lead and commands. If the Lord seems far away “outside the camp” it may be because we have not heeded His word in some regard. He will return the awareness of His presence upon our repentance for that disobedience, based on forgiveness available through His blood shed at Calvary.

In His Presence

“From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering” (Exodus 25:2)

From the beginning to the end of the Bible we notice that God wants to dwell with the crown of His creation – man. At Christmas time we readily quote and sing one particular name of the Lord Jesus Christ and its meaning: Emmanuel, God with us. The purpose of the incarnation was to open the way for God to dwell with man. At Easter we remember how this was accomplished and directs our attention forward to the day when it will be an absolute reality.

Israel had a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night as witness of God’s presence. The next step was to have Israel build a portable sanctuary where God would dwell with the people as they travelled in the wilderness.

One can only wonder at what Moses thought of the Lord’s directive to obtain all the materials, including much gold and silver, from the people of Israel. They were a tribe of slaves who had left Egypt kicking, screaming and complaining at every obstacle. Would they have the materials and, if they did, could they be extracted from their hands? Also, the materials could only be received from those who give it willingly with their heart. Moses was not to use guilt or duty to provoke giving and people were not to give for self-esteem or the praise of men.

What would provoke the people of Israel to willingly give their gold, silver and other materials for the sanctuary? The answer is given in verse eight; “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Only the people who valued the Lord being physically present with them would be moved to give willingly from the heart. Anyone who preferred gold and silver could keep it but they would not have a sense of God’s presence.

We should remember that Israel had these materials because they were given to them by the Egyptians as they left Egypt. The Egyptians gave the materials to them because of the fear of the Lord that came upon them. God gave them the materials and now He asks for a portion so that He may have a physical presence with them.

No one has given anything to the Lord unless they understand that all they have has been given to them by Him. Their response is to give as He directs with a glad and willing heart. If the motive is anything else then it will not result in a sense of God’s presence. A sense of duty performed or self-satisfaction is no substitute for giving with a willing heart and it will not have the desired outcome of God’s presence.

Paul writes that the churches of Macedonia gave “according to their ability, yes and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we should receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).

The people of Israel did this, even giving more than required, and the sanctuary was built and God dwelt among them. When we give from the heart desiring God Himself He will manifest Himself to us and we shall know His presence now and be confident of His physical presence in the resurrection when He creates all things new.

For This Purpose

“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 9:16)

If we read this verse in isolation we might be inclined to wish that it spoke of us but the context reveals an entirely different circumstance than what we would desire. The Bible reveals that it is God who raised up nations and kings and brought them down and that He is still doing so even in our day to accomplish His purpose. In addressing Egypt’s Pharaoh on this occasion the Lord gives us the primary reason for the plagues on Egypt. It is “that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth” (v 14) and, “that I may show my power in you and that My name may be declared in all the earth” (v 16; cf. 11:7).

The Egyptians had many gods who arose out of the imaginations of men and were, therefore, imaginary. The God of Israel, on the other hand, was truly God who created all that is and sustains it. The judgments against Pharaoh and Egypt showed the power of God so that they would know that He really is the Creator. None of the gods created in the imagination of men could do such things. The extraordinary nature of the plagues would forever be a testimony of declaration of the name of the Lord. History tells us that the account of the plagues in Egypt has been retold many times in every generation all round the world. God accomplished His purpose in a manner that cannot be explained in naturalistic terms. The attempts of men to do so fall flat in light of the biblical historical record.

The Lord had made a distinction between Israel and Egypt after the third plague. This was so that Israel and Egypt and all who hear of the plagues will know that the plagues have their origin in the Lord God of Israel and not in any other god or naturalistic cause (Exodus 8:22; 9:26; 11:7). The Lord also made a distinction among the Egyptians (9:19-21). Those who took God at His word literally and acted upon it were not destroyed and their animals saved in accordance to the degree that they acted upon the literal word of the Lord.

This is the basis of God’s revelation to people throughout history and, in particular, the salvation that is offered to all people in Jesus Christ. Anyone who will take God at His word, interpreting it literally and act upon that word will not suffer God’s wrath and judgment. The Bible reveals that many did not regard the word of the Lord as faithful and true and they lost everything that they treasured (v 21).

Pharaoh must have been under cover to avoid the hail but he still hardened his heart further against the Lord. This is an eternal principle, seen many times in the Bible, that when a person says “No” to the Lord it becomes harder in the future to say, “Yes” until eventually the heart is so hardened it cannot change.

God could have destroyed Egypt at the beginning and set Israel free (v 15) but He chose to set His people free this way for the purpose stated. This would benefit Israel, the Egyptians and us.

Are you as soft clay in the Potter’s hand, or hard and brittle resisting His attempts to mould you in the way He wants? Pharaoh is an example of one who resists the Lord’s hand.

Purify my Heart

“Please show me Your glory.” Exodus 33:18

By the time that Moses made this plea he had already seen the burning bush and the miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and much more, and spoken directly with God on many occasions. Even so he wanted more of God.

While listening to the songs with lyrics, “I’m hungry for You” and “We want to see Jesus” I began to reflect on whether my desire to depart this body of death for the resurrection body was from a pure motive.

There is little doubt that one who is truly born of God will find this life less than satisfying. Like Satan, it promises everything pleasant but delivers everything painful and empty. Consequently we may desire to flee the flesh in order to obtain fulfilment and bliss. Surely that is a valid motivation but if it is the sole motivation then it may be of fleshly origin simply to escape pain and discomfort.

Moses’ plea came only after extended periods with the Lord and living years of an obedient and faithful life with the Lord. Yes, he was weary of shepherding a rebellious people and that provided some hiccups but the motivation we see come to the fore now is that he really wants to see the Lord for who He is. He wasn’t just tired of the earthly life; he was hungry for the Lord, to see and be with the Lord.

As I listened to the songs and reflected, I was reminded that often my motivation was simply to escape the effects of the curse on this world but I was pleased to discover the Holy Spirit at work in my heart revealing a love for Jesus and a desire to see Him just for who He is. As John writes, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2, emphasis added).

We may readily find motivation to “not love the world or the things of the world” (1 John 2:15) but do we really love Jesus? We sing songs that say we do but we might do well to meditate on Peter’s profession (John 13:37), denial (John 18:17, 25, 26) and restoration (John 21:15-19). Before the cross he believed he loved Jesus to the extent that he would gladly give his life. After denying knowing Jesus he could not confess to loving Jesus with unconditional, self-sacrificing love. Oddly enough, this was probably the moment when he loved Jesus with all purity. It may be that for many of us we are too glib in our confession of love for Jesus. When we seriously question our love for Jesus and feel His gaze into our hearts that is perhaps when we love Him most.

How will it be when you see Jesus face to face; joy or shame? John went on to write, “… we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). Looking forward to that great moment when we see Jesus face to face in resurrected and glorified bodies will purify our motives for wanting to see Him as well as purify the way we live now.

Beyond the Law

“Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, animal for animal” Leviticus 24:18

Our world society has many conflicting views and opinions on almost every matter. One of these is the appropriateness of sentences being handed down by our courts. On the one hand people are claiming the sentences do not match the crime and on the other there are those that claim that sentences are for the purpose of revenge and are therefore wrong. The latter frequently misuse the phrase from Moses’ writings, “an eye for an eye.”

This phrase appears three times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament spoken by Jesus to correct the misunderstanding that people had in His time. Many people still have a wrong understanding. On the three occasions the phrase is used in the Old Testament it is used:

  • in regard to justice and punishment – i.e. the sentence matching the crime (Exodus 21:24);
  • in regard to restitution when a person causes loss to another – i.e. if a man kills his neighbour’s dog, he will give him another dog (Leviticus 24:20); and
  • in regard to those who give false testimony in court – i.e. if a person gives false testimony of a theft, then he should receive the same penalty  as the accused would have received had he been guilty of theft (Deuteronomy 19:21).

It would appear that Jesus picked up on the false understanding which was that this phrase meant revenge. The original meaning of the phrase in the Old Testament still stands but the Jews’ application of it was wrong in Jesus’ day – just as it is in the general population’s understanding these days – that it means revenge. It never meant that and still doesn’t.

In Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus said that revenge is always, and was always, wrong. He says that we should not be concerned with receiving justice but in ensuring that those we have wronged receive, as a minimum even compensation. If someone wants to justifiably sue us then we should give beyond what justice and the law demands (v 40).

“An eye for an eye” is one of many Bible phrases that have been abused by people to try and give credibility to the concept of revenge or to discredit the Bible by revealing what they believe is an inconsistency.

The world is not afraid to interpret the Bible but we would do well not to accept that interpretation. Only one who is spiritual is able to understand that which is spiritual. So being born of God is a prerequisite.  It is a sad thing when a Christian accepts an interpretation of God’s Word that comes from the world who, “professing to be wise, became fools” (Romans 1:22).