Think of a time you met someone new. What is usually the first thing we do? We find out their name. As we develop relationships with people we often give them “nicknames” that hold a special significance about them or that speaks to our specific relationship. Sometimes people have many nicknames between different relationships, or they use a different nickname depending on a situation or setting. Those names are personal, and when we learn someone’s name or give them meaningful nicknames we learn a little bit more about who they are and we develop a closer bond.
God also has many names, and through knowing those names we get to learn more about Him and build a closer relationship with Him. Each name has its own significance and power. None of His names are empty or pointless. Here we get to dive into several of His names that tell us about His eternal glory and power, and so much more. We get to learn that Our God is forever; no beginning, and most importantly no end.
Attiq Yomin (Aramaic)
Ancient of Days - God is Active in History
'"As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.'
In the book of Daniel, God shows Daniel a vision of an old man in white, sitting powerfully on his throne. The man was not God, or even what God looks like, but it was meant to impress God’s dignity and power upon Daniel.
'As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom. '
Daniel called the impression of God Ancient of Days, or in the original Aramaic, Attiq Yomin. This means Ancient One, and tells us of how God is present in all of time and judge over all of time and creation. God is the everlastingly supreme authority.
El Roi
The God Who See - Responder of Needs
'So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, "You are a God of seeing," for she said, "Truly here I have seen him who looks after me." '
El Roi is Hebrew for the God Who Sees. It expresses that God responds to our needs, and that He knows everything about us, our lives, and our circumstances throughout our past, present and even our future. The God Who Sees knows exactly what we need even before we do and will always provide for us in the ways and timing He knows is best. He will always be there with you, watching over you, and preparing the way for you.
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El Olam
Eternal, Everlasting God
'Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord , the Everlasting God. '
Sometimes it is really difficult to feel like anyone could understand what we are going through. It feels like no one else could ever have possibly been through it, and no one could possible know what is ahead for us. I have certainly felt like there is no way anyone could know the hurt I’ve experienced, and like there was no end in sight for the suffering. Fortunately for us, though, all of that is a lie Satan likes to tell us so that we don’t know the truth about El Olam.
' May his name endure forever [Olam], his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed! Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever [Olam]; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!'
Our God, El Olam, is forever. He is eternal; everlasting. There is no beginning and no end to Him. He exists in all of time, and with that His love, grace and mercy lasts forever. He has seen everything, experienced it all Himself, and lays out the path for each of us. There is hope in the future He has laid out for us. We are never alone because El Olam is constant forever.
Qedosh Yisra’el
The Holy One of Israel - Set-apart God of Israel
' But now thus says the Lord , he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you.'
People are pretty broken. We carry lots of baggage, hold onto a lot of guilt and shame, and fight every day not to fall into depression and despair. It is so hard to find a place we belong. Growing up I was the complete outcast. No one liked me, my “friends” were cruel, and I suffered immensely while trying to figure out my own place in the world. I didn’t think I belonged anywhere, and so I didn’t want to be anywhere. But rather than my life slipping away by my own hand, The Holy One of Israel grabbed hold of my heart and told me “I love you, I made you, and you have a purpose.”
In my own deep, dark hole God found me and pulled me out through the muck. It was a very long, difficult journey, and still is, but I learned through that struggle that God saves us, redeems us, and carries us through our pain and suffering. That is Qedosh Yisra’el. When we give in to Him, we find salvation. When we fight Him, hate Him, reject Him we do not get to know this truth about Him.
' Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord , they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.'
'Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" '
You ever catch yourself talking about the choices of others? Who they choose to love? How they choose to live? What they choose to eat? What they do for work? The money they make? The things they have? The mistakes they’ve done? We do it all the time. We judge others, while we sit here with our own choices, our own mistakes, our own baggage. Do we have a right to judge? Nope! That is not our job, nor is it our responsibility - and that’s a hefty responsibility.
Shapat is the Judge. Our God is the leader who pronounces judgment. That is His job. He carries that burden. When we take it upon ourselves to judge others we are not loving others as God calls us to (1 Peter 4:8, Philippians 2:3-4, Matthew 5:43-48, 1 John 4:7-21, and more). God carries out judgment while our role is to live faithfully by His commands.
' For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.'
There is so much to know about Our Amazing God. He is an incredible, never-ending provider who serves as our comforter and our judge. I cannot wait to keep diving into more of who God is next week as we continue our Names of God series. Don’t forget to check it out!
Throughout our Names of God series, we will touch on many of these names and why they are important. Knowing and understanding the different names for God is so valuable in developing an even stronger relationship with Him. Through knowing His names, we get to learn more aboutthe truth of who He is.
Elohim
God the Creator
'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.'
Elohim is God the Creator. He created everything; Heaven, earth, plants, animals, people, oceans, mountains, and everything in between. God the Creator is all-powerful.
' The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.'
Elohim comes from two Hebrew words; El, meaning strength and unlimited power, and allah, meaning to keep a promise. God is the all-powerful creator and keeper of promises, and God makes us a lot of very important promises.
By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
God the Father is one of the most familiar names for God. It is a reference to God as the Father in the Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God is our Father in Heaven. He cares for us as His children. God the Father disciplines, provides, and guides. God the Father is our powerful protective parent. He is the disciplinarian who corrects us and works to set us on the right path with love and compassion.
Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Not only is God our Heavenly Father, but His name Abba Father is a name given by only two people in scripture; Jesus and the apostle Paul. This name indicates the deep, compassionate parent-child relationship we have with Abba Father. He loves us as a Father loves his children, and wants us to come to Him for refuge, guidance, and nurturing. Abba Father shows us the deep compassion He has for us, and though we are messed up, broken people He never disowns us. He loves us deeply and adopts us as His children.
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
This name for God is the most personal name that He assigned Himself. It is a name that speaks to His goodness and sovereignty. There are a couple of translations for LORD, though. This is all capital meaning Yahweh in Hebrew and Jehovah in Latin. It directly means The Self-Existent One who has always been and will always be. In the Jewish culture, this name is so sacred it is scarcely said. When using this name for God, we recognize the almighty strength and power He has in our lives.
Yahweh Rohi means Yahweh Cherishes; the LORD is my Shepherd. Yahweh Rohi provides for our needs. Not only that but He takes pleasure in providing for us. With Yahweh Rohi we shall not lack anything we need. He loves and cherishes the opportunity to bless His children and give them what they need.
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
God is a loving, powerful, protective Father who provides for and loves His children deeply and unconditionally. There is no end to His love and help. There is so much more to learn through His many other names as well, which we will dive into through our May series “Names of God”. Don't miss it in the coming 3 weeks!
Jesus is the Son of God. He came to earth, born of the virgin Mary who was with child by the Holy Spirit, so that we, all people through all of time, may be saved from our sins and an eternity of separation from God. It can be very difficult to comprehend the reality of Jesus, what He stood for, who He was and still is, and what He did through his life and ultimately through his sacrifice and resurrection.
'And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." ' John 14:3-7
Jesus is the way…
When Jesus came to be with mankind on earth, he became the gateway to a relationship with God. He changed the way we are called to worship, live, love, and be overall. Through Jesus’ teachings within the gospels, we find that he is the Way to the Father.
He tells us that through loving him we are loved by God. By following his teachings and commands we show our love and faithfulness to him, and through that faith and obedience we get to have a relationship with God, and a relationship with God is a blessing beyond measure.
'Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him." ' John 14:21
The Good Shepherd
Jesus is not only the way to God but the way to safety as our Good Shepherd. The job of a shepherd is to keep the flock safe and healthy. Sheep are silly, stubborn animals, and they rely heavily on their shepherd to take care of them. When they fall over, they need the help of the shepherd to get back up. When they are filthy, dirty, and hungry they rely on the shepherd to clean and heal them and lead them to green pastures to be nourished and fed.
When a sheep wanders off, the shepherd chases after them to save them from being eaten by wolves. When a shepherd calls to his sheep, the sheep know his voice, trust it, and follow it. Sheep need their shepherd in order to survive. Life is safer when they stay with their shepherd.
There was a sheep who had gotten lost and managed to survive on its own, but it had become so overgrown with wool its life was at risk. Fortunately, the sheep was found in time and a shearer was able to save his life (story here). We are sheep.
We collect so much dirt, gunk, sin, and all this painful baggage that weighs us down, suffocating us. Then when we find Jesus, and we allow him to take us in as a good shepherd does, he shears off the baggage, cleans out the darkness in our hearts, heals our wounds, and frees us from the suffocation of sin. Through Jesus, we find a new, fresh life source and the safety of a good shepherd who loves his flock.
'I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ' John 10:9-11
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Jesus is the Truth…
Jesus doesn’t just speak truth, He is truth personified, and the source of all truth.
“and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie, and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
I love how ActiveChristianity addresses Jesus as the truth, “Our attitude toward the truth determines the outcome of our lives. If we don’t love the truth, if we resist it, we resist salvation. But if we do love the truth then we embrace salvation and we receive the reward: the crown of life.”
Jesus is the truth, so everything He teaches is truth. When we live by the truth, loving the truth, we live by the commands Jesus gives because we know they are true and they open us up to a relationship with God which gives us new life. Loving and believing the truth leads to life and resisting the truth leads to destruction.
"If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ' John 8:31-32
Jesus is the Life...
Circling back to John 10:10-11, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep," Jesus is the key to eternal life because He protected us with his life when He died on the cross and rose again 3 days later.
When we love and remain faithful to Jesus we are given the free gift of salvation. That salvation saves us from eternal separation from God. When we give our life to Jesus, our spirit is given new life. We are made new, refreshed, born again through the blood of Jesus.
When we are reborn in Christ, we are given the gift of eternal life. With Jesus, life here on earth is much more fulfilling, and we have Him to hold onto, lean on, follow, and protect and heal us along the way - but as Crosswalk puts it, “...this life is not the point.”
Jesus lays down exactly how we are called to live here and is also the gateway to eternal life in Heaven. He came so that we may have a full, abundant life and be saved from eternal separation from God.
Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the Son of God, God in the flesh, our Saviour and Redeemer, our Good Shepherd, and is everything we need and more. Loving Jesus and building a foundation with Him as the cornerstone is essential to a fulfilling life here, eternal life in Heaven, and a relationship with God.
Why do Christians read, teach, love, and trust the bible?
The word “Bible” literally means “book”, which means the Holy Bible is literally the Holy Book. The Bible is all about relationship. It is a book about God’s love for and relationship with his children, as well as our relationships with one another.
The Bible is God’s Word. Written over the course of 1500 years God used 40 different authors to relay the stories and testimonies we find throughout the 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament scriptures. It is an instruction manual teaching us how to live our best life, get through anything we face, love fully, find peace, hope, and comfort. It is a book of forgiveness, faith, grace, sacrifice, and so much more.
'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. '
My pastor said once “our level of appreciation is often based on our level of understanding.” The relevance of the Bible is a very common debate. More and more, people do not see it as relevant, and that is why it is all the more relevant and important to read, study and understand. Only through diving in and striving to understand it can we learn to appreciate its relevance in our own lives.
' The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.'
“...stand forever.” “...eternal life.” These are terms we see throughout scripture. Although the words “eternal” and “forever” sound like they are talking about the future, which would be unknown, it actually begins here and now. The Word of God is eternal - the relevance of it never expires. Scripture will always be essential and applicable, through all of time, which includes right now.
“...new life.” “...born again.” Eternal life, and being reborn, given new life, means that when you love and accept God, His Word, and His son you are changed. As you develop your faith, as you grow closer in your relationship with God, begin to understand what He has done for you, what He has the power to do, you begin to change. You are transformed into the best version of yourself.
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‘ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
When I made the decision to trust and follow God I learned what it meant to be given new life. I began reading my Bible not out of obligation or because I was told to do so. Gratefully, I started reading it with the desire to learn what it meant, to learn how to heal. I started navigating that nagging question “if there is a God, why would He care about me?” As I read, studied, and understood more I began to appreciate it more. I experienced God's healing through His Word.
'For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. '
The Word of God has the power to completely transform you. Not only does it provide instructions about how we should behave and live, but it provides hope, inspires courage and humility, pours out love, and can help you through any dark time.
It explains who God is, tells us what Jesus has done for us, teaches us countless lessons, and gives innumerable testimonies and stories from real people throughout time that carry relevance even today. It gives us a look into the beginning of human history and tells us where we came from.
'And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. '
Believing that the Bible is the true Word of God opens the door to unimaginable blessings that God is holding for you, waiting for you to trust and believe in Him.
Grief is a painful experience. It is an inevitable part of life. Why do we grieve? What does grief look like? What hope is there when we are consumed by grief?
We Feel Shock
“Grandpa is dying. The doctors say we need to say our goodbyes.” Sitting there in the passenger seat I opened my phone, read those words, turned the screen off, put the phone down, and sat there. I just sat and felt my mind lose all thoughts and emotions. “What's wrong?” I heard; *snap* ...back to reality. I could not say anything. I just sat, holding it in. The shock had set in and taken hold.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
We deny it and isolate ourselves
I go into his hospital room and my family ask the nurse “Is he getting better? Do you see signs of improvement?” They had every inclination that he would get better and go home. Never mind that he is on life support, quickly deteriorating, and no one can figure out why he won’t wake up from his coma or what put him there in the first place. This poor, broken man was lying there dying while most of the family was in complete denial.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4
We get angry over things that make no sense
A few days later I came upon the Texas Toast section in the grocery store. I saw it and nearly burst into tears over my shopping cart. Texas Toast was a common dinner side dish at my grandparent’s house, and it was one of my grandpa’s and my favorites. In that moment I thought Texas Toast would forever be something that would make me want to cry and that made me incredibly, and ridiculously, angry. The darn Texas Toast would never be the same.
'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ' John 14:27
We fall into depression
Depression sneaks up on us in many different forms. It can look like me at 13 years old, sunken deep into darkness, thinking I was no longer worthy of living, begging God to let me go; like staying in bed all day, not wanting to move, get dressed, shower, eat; like compulsive purchases of crazy things that don’t matter or make sense; like my mother slumped on the bathroom floor, not able to breathe through the unexplainable sudden tears, or stand from the weight of deep constant sadness; like there is no joy left in the world.
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4
We bargain with the delusion that we can fix it
I remember being 15 years old lying curled up on the floor of my bedroom, crying harder than almost any other time in my life to this day after my first love and I split up for the final time. I begged for God to take the pain, to fix my broken heart, pleaded that I would do anything for the pain to stop and for the person I thought was the love of my life to forgive my stupidity and come back. I was in agony and I begged and pleaded, trying to bargain my way out of grief.
'But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ' John 14:26
We accept it
Grief clouds our minds and provides a playground for Satan, but it also provides a gap in the dark clouds for God’s hand to reach out and pick us up, bringing us into His light.
I love the wayIn Touch Ministries put it; “The Lord personally provides consolation and reassurance because no one knows our hurts the way He does.”
Through our grief we can become stronger people, deeper in faith, closer to God, and more humble and wise. Through the grace of God, we are sustained. God is in complete control and does not give us more than we can handle with His help. When we hit our limit we are called to give God the reigns. Give Him the control and let him take over and carry us through the remainder of our grief.
Watching my grandfather there, unconscious, grimacing in pain, frail and thin like paper, I knew that he would meet God, and his suffering may end soon. I recognized that God is powerful and loving enough to comfort my family while we grieve the condition of such an important man, while He also carries my grandpa through his suffering.
In Touch Ministries goes on to say “People who fail to understand the true source of comfort try to escape their pain. They seek out pleasures, material wealth, or drugs and alcohol to soothe them. Only God can offer lasting relief from the crushing pressure of heartache. He even brings joy into periods of mourning.”
In our grief, God calls out to us. He mourns with us, for us, and wants to take our pain and bring us comfort.
' Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.'
God has endured the ultimate grief. God sent His own Son, the image of Himself, to earth to heal and guide His people and then ultimately to die a horrendous death on our behalf. God has seen and felt the grief of ultimate loss, and all for our own sakes. Through His loss we have all gained forgiveness, comfort, and pure love.
Even when we suffer, God will lift us up and console us. Let God take control of your grief. Let Him be at your side and fill you with ridiculous peace and love. Let Him teach you of His goodness through your heartache. God is strong enough to help you through your grief when you are at the end of your strength.
'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. '
God shows up in many ways. Sometimes God heals us on earth and we are given more time here, and sometimes the healing and peace waits until after this life. All the time, though, God is in control, God comforts, God heals, God loves. Let us give God control, and let us be a comforter to those who grieve as God comforts us.
Why is there so much tragedy, heartache, pain, and suffering in life? What on earth is there to gain from so much pain? These are questions everyone asks themselves at some point in their life.
But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
This story is one most people are at least semi-familiar with. Something important that is embedded into this story is the origin of suffering. When God told Adam and Eve that they will “surely die” if they eat from the Tree of Life (Gen. 2:17), He did not mean they'd die an immediate death in the earthly sense that you and I know. Their innocence, peace, blissful ignorance would die and they would be introduced to sin and know suffering.
Satan, the serpent, knew this and tricked them in their innocence. He played on their curious human nature, led them into temptation, and now all of humankind knows sin and suffering.
Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—" therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.
We were never meant to have this knowledge of good and evil. We were created to live peacefully and innocently with God, trusting in Him to know what is best. As soon as the first sin occurred, human beings were forced to bear the weight of knowledge.
With the knowledge of good and evil came sin, suffering, and eventual yet inevitable death. The death God warned of in Genesis, I believe, is both the human death we all eventually experience, but also the instant death of human innocence and blissful ignorance as soon as Adam and Eve ate from the tree. It is a death of purity and peace as they entered into a world of sin and suffering. The good news is that God provided a way for His people to find and reside in that peace and purity again through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Will the suffering ever stop?
Growing up I had an incredibly tough life. There were only a few points in my childhood that were stable, and even those times didn't last very long. When I was 11 my mother told me I was overweight and started me on weight loss pills. That was the beginning of a new kind of suffering in my life.
Through that, I entered the steep slope of young alcoholism, pill addiction, and eating disorders which then transformed into the desire for positive attention from literally any place I could find. This led me to many situations of being used, bullied, and assaulted by my peers. I had no one. I was utterly alone and constantly suffering.
Eventually, I attempted to end my life to stop the ceaseless suffering. After continuing to fail at something that in every earthly sense I absolutely should have succeeded, it hit me…maybe there is a reason for me to be alive. Maybe all this pain means something. But what? Why?
'... for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. '
I would continue to struggle for many years. As soon as I'd asked myself why I was still alive I, for the first time in my life, realized that there had to be something bigger than myself keeping me alive. It had to be for some purpose.
In all the suffering I have endured I began to learn that it was making me stronger. My suffering began to clearly lead me to God, as He was the only “thing” that could possibly help me through all the pain.
'For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, '
The point of suffering is to develop and strengthen our faith. It is to make us stronger, more faithful, and less fearful of earthly things. When we suffer, we learn to depend on Christ to see us through.
'And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. '
There is hope to be had through the suffering. It is not forever. As we go through our trials, we are refined, like a rough gold nugget being melted down, purified, polished, and shined into a valuable, beautiful gold ingot. God will strengthen and restore us.
It is inevitable that we will all suffer to some degree in our lives. It’s also inevitable that through it all God will do wonders in His faithful children and bring us out shining like gold in His presence.
What does God hope to accomplish through our suffering?
When I took the huge leap of faith, putting away my extremely painful, sinful way of living, and decided to live for God it changed everything about myself - or at least, the “me” I had become while conforming to what society wanted me to be. It was incredibly strange, too. It was an immediate change, which felt extremely natural, not forced at all, and it literally just happened. I began to speak, dress, walk and eat differently.
I began to treat people differently. I'd gone from extremely pessimistic and dramatic to finding impossible peace I never knew existed. I changed from an extremely boisterous, complaintive person to a peaceful, confident, fearless woman.
God literally transformed my heart and my mind as soon as I gave my life to Him in full trust, but I got to that point through an incredible amount of suffering. Had I not suffered all that I had, I would not have become the person I have become. I would not know this impossible peace and undying faith.
'Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. '
God gives us very specific qualities He wants us to exhibit. When we are enduring great suffering, he is buffing out the sinful qualities and bringing the righteous qualities to the surface.
'Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. '
When we endure our suffering, allowing God to work on us, transform us, and heal us we are made new. We are utterly transformed and we may receive God’s blessings through our suffering and obedience.
Exodus 32 dives in deep to the roots of idolatry in the Israelite people. Their history is filled with idolatry and should be taken as a serious warning to all of us today. The lessons of Exodus 32 are incredibly relevant in many ways to us now.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
'When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” '
Moses had been up on the mountain for 6 days and the Israelites had already turned from God and even Aaron had allowed so much corruption to come into the community.
Aaron took the people's jewelry and made an idol from the gold. The people worshiped the idol and then participated in sexual immorality. God was so angry that He told Moses that He would kill them all for their sins, but Moses asked God to spare them so that he could do try to fix the situation.
Can prayers cause God to change His mind?
Sometimes God adjusts His plans in response to our requests or actions. We see this in some areas of scripture (Nu 14:11-23; Am 7:1-7; Jnh 3:1-10). Interpersonal relationships are often complex. We alter our responses according to God's, and God will sometimes do the same for us. There are many things that will not change just because we want them to. I love the way my NIV Quest Study Bible puts it;
"There are decrees and promises he has made that do not change. He kept His covenant with the forefathers of the Israelites (Dt 7:7-8) and He keeps His new covenant with those who believe in Jesus (Jn 6:37-40, 44). God wants us to live out His will obediently. He has predetermined ways He expects us to respond, but He has made us capable of resisting Him (Ps 143:10; 1Th 5:16-18; Heb 10:35-39; 2Pe 3:9). These aspects of God's will work together. While it is not possible for us to fully understand how they work together, we know that God is ultimately in control."
When Moses returned from the mountain where he was convening with God, he was extremely angry with Aaron, who blamed the people for all that had happened, and with the people who had become so corrupt in only a matter of days. Moses called forward the faithful people of God and told them to kill all the sinful people who had rebelled against God.
'Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’ ” '
I feel the biggest lesson here is that we are called to put God above everything and everyone else, even our own families. God's will comes first.
' “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. '
Moses asked for forgiveness for the people, and God decided that He would "blot out" these sinners from His book. The best way I can think to explain God's book is to think about Santa's naughty and nice list. The good children on the nice list are rewarded for their good behavior, and the children on the naughty list get coal. Likewise, the faithful children of God are rewarded with Heaven and the naughty list, those who are "blotted out" get damnation.
God tells Moses to lead His people to where He has commanded them and at the right time He will punish them. Then the Lord set a plague on the people as punishment for their sins against Him.
Exodus 31 teaches us about the history of the Sabbath Day. While we don't necessarily hold to the Sabbath the same ways the Israelites did, there is so much we should learn from the way God instructed them and the reasons behind it all. Let's explore what the Sabbath is, why it is important even now, and how we can make more space for God in our lives.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
'“For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord . There I will meet you and speak to you; '
In order for the Israelites to further concrete themselves in their new culture, God would "show Himself" by appointment only. He specified times for them to come and meet with Him. This helped them to form a habit of coming to Him.
The Sabbath
'“Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord , who makes you holy. '
The Sabbath is a day of rest to remind God's people that they have a unique relationship with God. It is a consistent reminder that they are God's holy people.
Should we still recognize the Sabbath?
The Sabbath is a day set apart for us to acknowledge that God is in control. It is a day for us to rest, recover, and focus on what is most important. It is a day of reflection and refreshment.
'“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. '
God is not offended by us doing small things on the Sabbath Day.The point is to rest and to focus on the Lord, on good, but still remember that God is the one in control. This is a day to put the normal day-to-day aside and trust God to take control. Setting aside a day per week for rest and worship helps us to set the healthy routine God establishes for us, and allows us to enter a new week refreshed and focused.
Exodus 24-30 covers the Tabernacle. There is so much here that is vital for us to learn and understand, and so much foreshadowing of what was to come when Jesus came to dwell among men. The Tabernacle is certainly not irrelevant - dive in and explore how this still holds much importance for us even today.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
Eventually people access God through Jesus, but in OT times they would reach God through the Tabernacle.
'“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. ' Exodus 25:8
God designated the exact specifications for the entire tabernacle as a kind of test of faith and obedience. This manufacturing was done to show their obedience, to instill further obedience in the people, and was given exact ritual practices that would get them into the habit of trusting, honoring, worshiping and obeying God who had saved them. It was a way to aid them in getting used to the new culture God had laid out for them. He wanted His people to have a way to access Him so that they would grow in their faith and obedience to Him.
"Throughout these details we find spiritual parallels to Christ and the church. The tabernacle (literally, dwelling place) points to Jesus the Messiah, who made his dwelling (literally, tabernacled) among us (Jn 1:14, Jn 2:20-21), tore the curtain of the old covenant in two (Mt 27:51), and enabled us to enter the Most Holy Place by His sacrifice (Heb 10:19-22). We can also learn principles about salvation and the church from the pattern of the tabernacle's construction (Eph 2:21; 1Pe 2:5)."
God laid out an extremely specific design for the Tabernacle. Each piece had specific reasons for its design.
Ark of the Covenant
The ark was the most sacred piece of the tabernacle. The ark held copies of the ten commandments and the Book of the Covenant (which is Exodus 20-23), which explained the specifications for covenant requirements. It was designed to preserve its contents and protect it from human hands.
Bronze Laver
The priests would cleanse themselves using the Bronze Laver, as they must be clean and pure to enter into the presence of God.
Altar of Burnt Offering
Animal sacrifices were made here. The blood of the animal was sprinkled on the four horns of the altar. The blood on the altar was symbolic of God accepting the sacrifice and forgiving the people, cleansing them of their sins.
Gold Lampstand or Menorah
This was set in the Holy Place, across from the table of showbread. It had places for lamps which were little gold bowls with wicks sticking out. The other ends of the wicks were sitting in a bowl of oil. The light from the lamp signified the presence of God.
Table of Showbread
This was always in the presence of God. It had 12 loaves of bread on it, which represented the 12 tribes of Israel.
Altar of Incense
This was a smaller altar than the Alter of Burnt Offering. The incense would fill the tabernacle with sweet smells. The smells would have helped mask the nasty smells of dead animal and blood, and the smoke would have helped to mask the holy objects further showing that they were holy and set apart for God.
Priestly Garments
'Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. ' Exodus 28:2
Aaron and his sons were the first priests of the Lord. They were instructed to wear very specific garments which were to give them dignity and honor.
The Breastplate of the High Priest
'“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the Lord . '
I love this section because we see a lot of these stones in ESO...and, well, we are gamers after all! The breastplate of the high priest had 12 specific precious gems embedded into it; Carnelian, topaz, garnet, emerald, sapphire, diamond, agate, amethyst, beryl, onyx, and jasper. Each stone had the name of one of the 12 tribes engraved on it. Each stone was precious and signified the value that God placed on His people.
'“Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. '
The priests were told to wear very specific attire, which included linen undergarments so that they were covered and not "spiritually naked" in the presence of the Lord. This was to break them away and set them apart from pagan rituals, which often involved nakedness.
Consecration of the Priests
'Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head. '
This was to symbolize the priests being set apart to serve God for a special purpose.
Why the specific instructions for the animal parts?
'Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar. But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering. '
Some animal parts were considered more desirable and the best parts of the animal were given to God. Other parts were symbolic of sin and were burned, and others were used in pagan rituals and were also burned to ensure that the Israelites would not be tempted to engage in pagan rituals.
What's with all the blood?
'And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated. '
Sin cannot be ignored by a holy God and the consequence of sin is death. The blood was to clearly demonstrate the life-for-life substitution. Pouring out the animal's blood was to show the pouring out of life to cover the sins of the people. This was a sign of forgiveness and renewed life to the sinner.
God required such a massive price for our sins because He did not want His people to ignore the seriousness of sin. The act of killing an animal, the smells, sounds, and sight of it would be very sobering to and remind them of the price for their sins.
Reviewing the Annual Feasts in Exodus 23 helps us to better understand the journey and struggles the Israelites endured after being delivered from slavery. Life was challenging to say the least, and they had to learn a whole new way of life - not unlike us when we choose to accept Christ as our Savior. While we don't hold these feasts as the Israelites did, learning this part of history has much to teach us about our lives today as well as better understanding where we came from.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
'“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me. “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed. “Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field. “Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field. '
He is giving them a point-blank warning. God warned against the temptations and "snare" they would face while among those of a different faith. This also is a good point to be reminded to love your neighbor, and to live in love, kindness, and patience.
Does this mean God wants us to live separated from non-Christians?
No. This was an instruction relevant to the Israelites in their situation at the time. It is important to recognize that we today are instructed to "be in the world without being of the world." We should be careful and not become unequally yoked with non-believers, but we should absolutely be an example and plant seeds in the lives and hearts of non-believers around us.
'They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. '
During this time of the Israelites they were still bombarded by the pagan cultures and needed to be isolated so that they could take on the new life, culture, and way of thinking and worshiping that God was revealing to them.
After reviewing various laws about social responsibility and property, God also instructed his people in Exodus 23 about helping others and providing hospitality. There is a lot we can learn today from Exodus 23, even though times and culture have changed and evolved.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
'“For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. '
How do we balance helping the poor and taking care of our families?
I am a firm believer in helping the poor, the homeless, the needy. I have spent almost my entire life being in that demographic. When I was a teenager I would sneak off to the large city nearby and talk to, feed, and make friends with the homeless there every weekend. I would bring sandwiches and fruit, water bottles, and small snacks.
I was young, living in the tiny dining room of my grandparent's home, without a bed big enough to lay flat in. While we did not have much and I had next to nothing, I knew that I had enough to share with those who had even less than I did.
The way I see it is that God provides for us, and from what He gives to us we have enough to take a piece and give to those who have even less. I also believe that the "materially wealthy" have been given much so that they can help that balance; they have plenty to care for their family, and also to make a huge impact for those who do not have enough.
'And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” '
A few years ago I made the decision to start tithing for the very first time. I set up automatic donations to my church in the tiny amount I felt God put on my heart. I was a single mother, juggling the weight of caring for my very young child on my own, working like a dog to support us, barely having enough food for myself (always putting enough food on the table for my child first), and struggling immensely to pay the bills. It was rough.
I knew, though, that when I decided to give my life to God fully that God had given me enough and that I also had enough to give back to Him. When we give back to God, He takes that and uses it to care for the poor, the needy, the less fortunate. He also blesses those who give.
'But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”'
Ever since I trusted God wholeheartedly to provide for me while I continue to give from the small material wealth I have to give, God has blessed me immeasurably. He has provided me the ability to leave my job, stay home to care for my child, and continues to provide for me every day.
Every time I worry that the money will run out, or I won't be able to afford the next "need" God reminds me what He has already done for me, what He has already delivered me from, and He never fails to provide everything that we need - while I continue to faithfully give back to God from what He provides.
No matter how little we have, there is always something we can give. If not money, time. If not time, items.
Here are some practical ways to help others:
Clean out the closet you have been piling junk into and donate those sweaters you haven't worn in six years to a shelter.
Help organize a food drive or a backpack drive for kids who can't afford school supplies.
Give warm jackets to foster families and the kids they have taken in.
Host a fundraiser for organizations that help fight sex trafficking, homelessness, mental illness, etc.
There is always something that you can give, and God blesses those who give to Him and to those in need with a generous heart. Tell us in the comments other ideas you have for helping others in practical ways.
How has God delivered you from the wilderness?
'“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. '
When I was younger, I ended up drifting very far from God - pushing myself away from Him for many years. I specifically disobeyed God. I did not understand God or really know Him, or know that I could know Him. I was lost, wandering in my own wilderness, looking everywhere but to Him. I sinned greatly and made myself a very rough path.
I complained to God and asked Him why I was suffering so much. I begged God to save me, to help me, to take me out of the misery - but I did not want to do what He asked me to do. Looking back, it seems like every time I heard God whisper to me "do this" I did the opposite and then wondered why the results were so tragic.
When I was 17, I finally started to understand that I needed to do something different. I knew I was filthy of sin, I was broken, and I could not do it on my own. I wanted so badly for God to make me clean. Unfortunately, I was more tempted by life, by lust, by sin than I chose to resist. I gave in again and found myself in another very wrong, painful, harmful situation.
I had asked God to cleanse me, and He did, and then I turned my back on His commands again and I know that what I received was God teaching me that His path is the only right path and that when I choose my own way it will never be right.
I remember the exact millisecond that I heard God breakthrough to me. I remember Him telling me loud and clear (in my heart, to be clear) "Trust me. End this suffering. Just trust me. We can do this." I remember it. I remember standing my ground, having strength fill me in an instant that I know was not my own.
I remember every single thing that happened after that moment and recognize God's hands in all of it. I remember when God ultimately delivered me from my wilderness, and ever since that moment I have worked diligently to run away from sin, to follow His commands, to go against the societal norms, and to be what He calls me to be no matter the cost.
I strive to trust Him no matter the risk. He delivered me from the darkness, from the loneliness, from being lost. He delivered me to Himself and I will never leave Him again.
'But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. '
God is with us as we wander our wilderness. Just like the Israelites, we will complain, we will choose not to listen all the time, we will try to make our own way - but when we fail He is right there with us still. He guides our path. It won't be instant. It takes time to learn to trust and listen to Him. Thankfully, though, we have a very patient and merciful God.
So far, we have reviewed how the Israelites were delivered from slavery, the beginning of their journey, the 10 commandments, and now in Exodus 22, we begin to explore additional laws God gave the Israelites about property and social responsibilities.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
Exodus 22 has many laws about how to handle different situations in their time. God gave very specific laws so that it was easier for His people to develop and maintain a just and stable society. These laws helped them to resolve conflict while still keeping the community unified.
It is important to remember that this was a new community growing into its own. God was laying the foundation for them to start fresh and build a holy community, and the laws set would have been relevant to situations they faced back then.
There is one in particular that really sticks out to me as a confusing law.
'“If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed… '
What this means is that if someone gets robbed in the middle of the night, killing the thief is considered self defense. If it happens during the day, it is considered murder. The justification of this is that if a thief is armed and dangerous, it is self-defense if you kill him - but in the dark you cannot tell if he is armed and dangerous. Killing an unarmed thief in the daylight is just plain murder.
Social Responsibility
At this time, arranged marriages were the norm. Fathers would arrange specific marriages for their daughters especially. The husband-to-be would pay a "bride price", or dowry, to the girl's father to take her as his wife.
'“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins. '
If a man slept with an unwed virgin daughter, the girl was considered "damaged goods" because she is no longer a virgin. It would be like stealing from the father because he would now be unable to get the "full bride price" for his daughter. To make up for this "theft" the man who defiled her would have to pay the full bride price to her father.
If the father determined that the man would be able to take good care of his daughter, the man and daughter would marry. If the father determined that the man would not be able to take good care of his daughter he would take payment and keep his daughter. In these cases, it would likely be more difficult to find a good husband for her, even at a lower price, which would cause further hardship for the daughter and her family.
'“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed. “Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt. '
God called on His people to treat the foreigners in their community with common decency, but He also called for the destruction of those who worshiped idols in the promised land.
'and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord ’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. '
We are to love our neighbors and in loving them we are called to bring everyone to God. Foreigners in the promised land were expected to live by God's rule. If they did not, then the Israelites were commanded to destroy them for their false idols.
'When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. '
In Exodus 19-21 we see the 10 Commandments for the first time. These are detrimental to the people of Israel, and although we receive updates to the commandments later from Jesus, there is much to be learned from the original commandments. In order to understand the commands Jesus gives us we must also learn the history that led up to that point. That is where Exodus 19-21 comes in.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
The first thing that comes to my mind is...this sounds like what God seems to remind me of every day; "You have seen over and over again what I can do. Obey my commands and you will be blessed."
God wants our obedience. He wants us, no matter where we are, where we have come from, what He has pulled us out of, no matter what, to obey Him so He can bless us and call us His own. He proves to us time and again what He is capable of and what He will do for us when we listen and obey, but our human nature is inherently sinful and this proves much harder for us than He intended it to be when He created us before sin was brought into the world. This is why it is called faith. Have faith that it is worth it to obey Him. Have faith that our God is good and He will provide and care for us.
God knows that it is hard for them to do what God commands and to trust Moses as well, so He again tests them telling them they cannot step even one foot onto the mountain in which He will show Himself or they will die. He wants His people to show Him that they will do what He tells them.
Exodus 20
The Ten Commandments
Exodus 20 provides for us the original 10 commandments given by God to the Israelites.
You shall have no other gods before me.
Show respect to God and refuse to prioritize anything or anyone else above Him.
You shall not make for yourself a carved image.
Life your life in whole-hearted devotion to God.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Guard your speech to speak respectfully of God. Never use His name for your own agenda.
Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy.
Allow time for meditation with proper rest and relaxation.
Honor your father and mother.
Treat your parents with respect.
You shall not murder.
Recognize God's control over life and death.
You shall not commit adultery.
Honor the vow of faithfulness to both God and spouse.
You shall not steal.
Guard against taking what is not yours.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Respond to others with integrity and respect.
You shall not covet.
Be satisfied with your own possessions and resources.
Do all of these laws apply to Christians?
Many of the original commandments were updated by Jesus while He dwelt on the earth, but these commandments are all still relevant to Christians today. Exodus gives us the historical backdrop for the commands God gives us to live by. We should not brush off the 10 commandments and think they are outdated or unimportant. History still holds value, and this is no exception.
So while the commands were updated later by Jesus, and they are not the societal law or even the norm, learning these commandments and their history allows us to learn more about God and grow closer in relationship with Him. We get to learn more about what it means to be set apart for Him and how He calls us to live.
How can I apply this in my life?
Put God before all things and make time for God every day. Show respect to others and to God while you play. Don't curse God or threaten others. Be satisfied with what you have, work hard to gain what you do not have, and do not be selfish or expect anything from others. Also, remember to keep time for rest, relaxation, and godly meditation. Take time to be and grow with God, and to let yourself rest.
'And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’'
Cultural fun fact: In that time, pagan religions had steps leading up to their altars. By God banning the use of steps, the Israelites would be less likely and less tempted to include pagan rituals in their worship. As far as the private parts being exposed, this may be in relation to the shrine prostitutes that would be at the pagan altars. This could be a kind of mocking of the pagan rituals, kind of like saying "if you want to act pagan, I will shame you like a pagan."
Exodus 21
Law Concerning Servants
'“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. '
In this time, servants were poverty-stricken people who would sell themselves into service to pay off debts, and to secure food and shelter for themselves and their families. It was not slavery. This was a way that the wealthy would help the poor. This was much like an employee-employer relationship.
'“If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. '
The selling of women was with the intention of the daughter marrying into the family. If the father of the household married the daughter to his son, he was called to care for and protect her as his daughter.
Law Concerning Violence
'“If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. '
This particular verse is often used by many who are opposed to abortion. I will make it clear that I will not be discussing abortion here, but I thought it was a great note to point out that this statement is actually describing unintentional harm to the pregnant woman and her child.
God's laws about violence are to hold yourselves and each other accountable. They are to discourage violence against one another, and to be held accountable for your herds and animals if they should grow violent.
Something that is important to understand is that later on Jesus' law of love exceeds the expectations of these basic rules for when Christians are mistreated.Jesus exceeded the expectation of "eye for an eye". He died in our place. He died so that we may live and be made holy and forgiven in the sight of God.
Exodus 14-18 is where we get to see the beginning of the Israelite's freedom, their incredible deliverance by God from slavery, and their reaction to the blessings being given them. Exodus 14-18 is a pivotal part of the history of mankind as well as of God's people.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
Pharaoh very quickly regretted letting the Israelites go one God had delivered them out of slavery. He chased after them and God gave Moses the power to part the Red Sea, bring the Israelites through the trenches, Egyptian soldiers following close behind, and delivered them to the other side while ultimately destroying the Egyptians that had chased after them.
'And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord ." And they did so. '
God wanted everyone, Israelites and Egyptians, believers and non-believers, to know that He is Lord Almighty and He is all powerful. He wanted them to know that He is greater than the Egyptians many false gods.
One very interesting thing is that Egyptian history does not document any of these events. The Egyptians were a very proud people and it was actually not uncommon for a Pharaoh to not report on their failures and defeats. It was also pretty common for them to change official records and stories so that the official records were more in their favor.
Exodus 15
The Song of Moses and Miriam
' Your right hand, O Lord , glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord , shatters the enemy.'
It was actually not until after the Exodus that Israelites started to really understand that there is only one God.
Why are songs included in the Bible?
Music has a central role in worship. Throughout scripture, God requests songs be sung for Him. This song during the Exodus was likely a joyful outburst of praise and worship as the Israelites had just been saved and set free.
Who was Miriam?
She was a priestess, sent with her brothers, Aaron and Moses, to lead Israel. God used her and spoke through her, which gave her a sort of authority. She is who led the worship after the Exodus.
Exodus 16
Bread from Heaven
Once the Israelites were delivered from slavery, God led them out into the wilderness. While in the wilderness the Israelites began to again test God. Even after all God had done for them they still did not trust in Him. They groaned and complained, and because they continued to test God, God tested them. Moses reminded the Israelites that their grumblings against them (Moses and Aaron) were actually grumblings against God since Moses and Aaron were leading them in God's will.
'And Moses said, "When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord ." '
God told the Israelites that each day they can only gather enough food for that day, and no more. This was a test to see if they would listen. When someone would keep leftovers, in the morning is was rotten. On the sixth day, they were told to gather 2 days' worth and save the second portion for the next day, which was the first observance of the Sabbath; a holy day of rest and no work. God wanted them to rest and not have any work on the seventh day.
'See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day." '
'Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Moses said, "This is what the Lord has commanded: 'Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.'" And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations." As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. '
God provided them with manna to eat every day for 40 years while they wandered the wilderness. Then, when they came to the promised land of Canaan He told them to keep a small amount of manna that He would preserve through generations so that future generations could see what God had fed them in the wilderness.
Exodus 17
Water from the Rock
God's people continue to put Him to the test, complaining to Moses about what they do not have. So God, again testing them in return tells Moses to go with the elders of Israel to the rock at Horeb and strike it with his staff and He will make water flow from it.
The Amalekites Defeated
The Amalekites were descendants of Esau who made a living raiding other tribes and killing for their pleasure. They came to attack the Israelites, and God had Joshua take some men to fight the Amalekites. While they fought, Moses went up on the mountain with his staff. Whenever Moses had his hands raised with his staff, the Israelites would prevail. When he would rest his hands, Amalek prevailed. When Moses grew too weary to keep his hands up, Hur (Miriam's husband) and Aaron sat him on a rock and held his hands up to steady them until Joshua overwhelmed Amalek.
'And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, saying, "A hand upon the throne of the Lord ! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." '
Jethro, Moses's father-in-law, heard of everything that had happened to Moses and the Israelites, and came to Moses with Moses' wife and children to provide a burnt offering to God. Moses did as his father-in-law had recommended, and Jethro went back home.
'Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace." '
Exodus 10-13 covers the last few great plagues of Egypt, as well as the miraculous Passover to spare God's faithful people. Why are the events of Exodus 10-13 so important? Why should this history hold such significance in our lives even today? Find out as we explore these chapters together.
The book of Exodus is filled with important information about the history of God's people and the world. It is not only important, but so many of the lessons we can learn are relevant to each one of us as children of God. Dive in as we explore Exodus chapter by chapter.
'They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt. '
Pharaoh agreed to let Moses and Aaron go worship by themselves, but would not let their families or herds come with them. He continued to refuse to let the Israelites go, and his heart is again hardened.
The Plague of Darkness
'So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. '
Pharaoh agreed to let them take their families, but now refuses to let him take the herds with them.
Exodus 11
The Final Plague Threatened
God tells Moses that after this last plague, Pharaoh will not just let them leave, but drive them out completely. He gives the Israelites favor with the Egyptians and they are given much gold and silver in anticipation of being run out of the land.
'and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. '
Moses warned Pharaoh of the coming plague but still hardened his heart and would not let them go.
Exodus 12
The Passover
For the Passover, the Israel households marked their door frames with lamb's blood so that when the tenth plague comes their households will be passed over and their firstborns will be saved. The plague comes, and all of the Egyptian's firstborn sons are killed. The Egyptian's then convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, but when they have started to leave he changes his mind and chases after them to bring them back as his slaves.
'then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord , who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’ ” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. '
Why are the Passover Feast instructions so detailed?
Obedience is a huge part of the Passover story. Obeying God was critical because their lives depended on it. The strict and specific instructions were used as a tool for the Israelites to show their faith and trust in God and his instruction.
Unleavened Bread: The Israelites would not have had time to make leavened bread. The unleavened bread of Passover is often referred to as "Bread of Affliction" to signify the hardship of slavery and the hasty transition to freedom.
Karpas: This is a green leafy vegetable that symbolizes the initial flourishing of the Israelites in Egypt. Parsley, celery and boiled spring potatoes are often used to represent the karpas.
Maror: Typically romaine lettuce or horseradish, this symbolizes the bitterness of slavery.
Charoset: This is a paste-like mixture of fruit, nuts, honey and sweet wine that symbolizes the mortar used by the Israelites when laying bricks for Pharaoh's monuments.
Shank Bone: Traditionally a roasted lamb bone, this piece is never eaten. Originally it represented a blood sacrifice that at that time would have been made in the Holy Temple. Now it is a visual reminder of what happened right before the Exodus.
Egg: The egg again signifies a sacrifice that would have been offered in the Holy Temple, and now symbolizes new beginnings and rebirth. The egg, also, is not eaten during the ritual, but some families serve hardboiled eggs as appetizers to remind them that, even while you embark on new journeys you must remember the hardships that brought them there.
Chazeret: This is very much like maror, and is usually lettuce or root vegetables. It also signifies the bitterness of slavery.
Sandwiches called "korech" are made from the unleavened bread, maror and charoset which embodies the bitterness of the Israelites over their hard labor, and the spiritual affliction they suffered while enslaved.
The foods eaten as The Passover Seder are tangible reminders of the hardships of slavery and the exaltation of the Israelites in Exodus.
The Exodus
'The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves. '
The Israelites plundered the Egyptians of their gold, silver, and clothing. They were rushed out with the herds, families, and unleavened breads. Pharaoh finally told them to leave after 430 years in Egypt.
Passover Restrictions
Only those in God's family can partake.
It must be eaten inside the house, and the meat must never leave the house.
Do not break the bones.
If a foreigner wants to participate, he must have all the males of his household circumcised. All males of all households must be circumcised in order to eat the Passover Fest.
The restrictions are set because God wanted to fix this event into the history, culture, religion, and daily mindset of His people for all generations.
Exodus 13
Consecration of the Firstborn
'“Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.” '
God had saved the Israelite's firstborns during the Passover, and He asks them to dedicate each firstborn to Him as a way to show their appreciation and devotion to Him for saving them.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
'Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord . Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. You shall tell your son on that day, 'It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.' And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year. '
This "sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes" is a figure of speech, like we would say "the words is on the tip of my tongue". This figure of speech meant that the Passover would symbolize the mighty power of God on behalf of His people.
Why did God always call for a sacrifice?
Since impurity is unacceptable in the presence of God, death occurs when anything impure comes into the presence of God. God would request that the animals be sacrificed in place of themselves. Jesus ultimately fulfilled this sacrificial system when He died on the cross. He was the ultimate sacrifice, making us pure in the sight of God.
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