Blog

God Wins Victory When a Really Evil Prophet Foretold of Jesus How?

March 22, 2023 Effie Barba Leave a comment

As we move forward in the book of Numbers, we are told a very intriguing story. There we are introduced to Balaam. He is a very evil prophet, albeit not truly false. He did hear from God and spoke God’s words at times. However, he was truly evil and later showed his colors. Often, he was spoken of as evil throughout the Old and New Testaments, his name represents the true evil nature. However, God used Him as well to foretell of Jesus and the star in the sky presenting His birth.

But what can we learn from Balaam? I believe there are many lessons within these chapters. Lessons of God’s Sovereignty, Glory, Righteousness, Justice, and His Unwavering Faithfulness to His covenant. For even when humanity is faithless, God is faithful to complete all that He has planned of mercy and Grace while upholding His perfect righteousness and justice. So, let us begin our study of Balaam with eyes wide open and hearts yearning to see God’s Glory in all that happens yesterday, today and throughout eternity.

In Search of a Really Evil Prophet

Then the sons of Israel journeyed on, and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho. 2 Now Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 So Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab. was in dread of the sons of Israel. 4 Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this horde will eat up all that is around us, as the ox eats up the grass of the field!” And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.

5 So he sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor, at Pethor, which is near the Euphrates River, in the land of the sons of his people, to call for him, saying, “Behold, a people came out of Egypt; behold, they have covered the surface of the land, and they are living opposite me. 6 Now, therefore, please come, curse this people for me since they are too mighty for me; perhaps I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” Numbers 22: 1-5 (NASB).

Balaam, the Evil Prophet Revered the Name of Yahweh

So, the men went to seek Balaam. Well known for his ability to curse a nation for the gods and to prophesy with great accuracy. However, his powers are from evil sorcery and not from the LORD. Yet, he seemed to realize that YAHWEH was truly LORD; although, he never follows after him.

Thus it is with many teachers, preachers, and leaders who know who God is but choose to go against Him or use His messages for financial gain. Now also of importance here. The Moabites are the descendants of Lot and his oldest daughter. (Genesis 19:37). So, we do see the devastating long range results of sins.

The Moabites wanted someone powerful to curse the Israelite, so to destroy the nation. This was the desire also of Satan and his demons to prevent the birth of the Savior as planned. But even Balaam could not curse the people of God.

Even Evil Prophets Speak the Truth Sometimes

Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the LORD my God.

19 Now please, you also stay here tonight, and I will find out what else the LORD will say to me.” 20 And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise and go with them; but you shall do only the thing that I tell you.” 21 So Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab. Numbers 22: 18-21 (NASB)

Balaam was speaking very righteously. He did speak the truth that he cannot do anything unless God says so. Yet, how quickly he got up to go with them when he believed God said yes. He was hoping that he could still convince God to condemn the people and he would gain great money and riches. We know this was his motive because we read of him later in 2 Peter 2.

Many Evil Prophets Have Followed Balaam

But false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their indecent behavior, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3

Peter goes on to say that God has judged such in the past in the days of Noah, Sodom and Gomorrah. He will rescue many yet to come from the trials to come. But the unrighteous He will judge one day. Particularly His judgement will pour forth to those who indulge the flesh in corrupt passion, distort His words and despise His authority. Peter goes on to write of these evil prophets.

Reckless, self-centered, they speak abusively of angelic majesties without trembling, …They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions as they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having hearts trained in greed, accursed children; 15 abandoning the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the reward of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own offense, for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet. 2 Peter 2

You see, God knew His heart and His intentions were only evil. How many evil prophets surround us today, enticing our children and the people with their evil crafts?

God Will Accomplish His Plan.

22 But God was angry that he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the road as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, the donkey turned off from the road and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey to guide her back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a stone wall on this side and on that side.

25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed herself against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again.

26 Then the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his staff.

I Have No Excuses, Even a Donkey Can Speak for God

28 Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” 29 And Balaam said to the donkey, “It is because you have made a mockery of me! If only there had been a sword in my hand! For I would have killed you by now!” 30 But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been in the habit of doing such a thing to you?” And he said, “No.” Numbers 22.

God Speaks Again to the Evil Prophet

Then God opened the eyes of Balaam so he could see the angel standing in the way. Once more God reminds Balaam that he can only say what God tells him to say. Furthermore, God let Balaam see the fierceness of the angel before him. That was a reminder to do what he is told. It says that he repented, but not a true act of repentance either. It was like someone caught with his hand in the cookie jar saying, “I am sorry—but not really.”

Three times Balaam tells Balak to build seven altars and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for a burnt offering. Each time he does this from a different vantage point on top of a different mountain, in hopes God would change his mind. The King is very complacent in performing these rituals. Most likely there is some remembrance within his history as well of sacrifices and a God of sevens (completion). Although frustrated, he even suggests some of the places to curse the Israelites from. Yet, each time God answers Balaam with a greater revelation of His Steadfast Covenantal Love for the people. Even after all they have done, he calls them righteous before Him. Righteous because of His Grace and His declaration.

Numbers 23: (NKJV)

“Balak the king of Moab has brought me from Aram,

From the mountains of the east.

‘Come, curse Jacob for me,

And come, denounce Israel!’

8 “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?

And how shall I denounce whom the LORD has not denounced?

9 For from the top of the rocks I see him,

And from the hills I behold him;

There! A people dwelling alone,

Not reckoning itself among the nations.

10 “Who can count the dust of Jacob,

Or number one-fourth of Israel?

Let me die the death of the righteous,

And let my end be like his!”

Here God reiterates His covenant to Abraham and to Jacob that the people would number more than the dust of the earth (GEN 13:16)

Second Prophecy: Numbers 23 (NKJV)

“Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, son of Zippor!

19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

20 Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

21 “He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, Nor has He seen wickedness in Israel. The LORD his God is with him, And the shout of a King is among them.

22 God brings them out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox.

23 “For there is no sorcery against Jacob, Nor any divination against Israel. It now must be said of Jacob And of Israel, ‘Oh, what God has done!’

24 Look, a people rises like a lioness, And lifts itself up like a lion;It shall not lie down until it devours the prey, And drinks the blood of the slain.”

What Amazing Grace Displayed

God did not count their iniquity against them. These words God gave to a Moabite King, through an evil prophet and yet, they are true for us today. Whomever knows Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are counted as though righteous. All our sins washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ who then clothes us with His righteousness eternally from the moment we truly repent and accept His gift of salvation.

7He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the sons of Israel. 8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in mercy. 9 He will not always contend with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our guilty deeds. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our wrongdoings from us. Psalm 103 NASB

Third Miraculous Word from God to Balaam and Balak

2 And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

3 Then he took up his oracle and said: “The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, The utterance of the man whose eyes are opened,

4 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

5 “How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel!

6 Like valleys that stretch out, Or Like gardens by the riverside, Like aloes planted by the LORD, And Like cedars beside the waters.

7 He shall pour water from his buckets, And his seed shall be in many waters. “His king shall be higher than Agag, And his kingdom shall be exalted.

8 “God brings him out of Egypt; He has strength like a wild ox; (Therefore) He shall consume the nations, his enemies; He shall break their bones And pierce them with his arrows.

9 ‘He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him?’ “Blessed is he who blesses you, And cursed is he who curses you.”

Who sees the vision of the Almighty. And who falls down with eyes wide open—This evil prophet saw a great vision of the prophetic future of Israel in the end times. God placed Balaam with the ability to see through the eyes of the Holy Spirit, although, not converted to faith himself. Therefore, never with the Holy Spirit’s power indwelling him. Yet he gained the ability to see the vision with the Holy Spirit revealing it.

The Fourth Prophecy is Amazing For Us

“The utterance of Balaam the son of Beor, And the utterance of the man whose eyes are opened;

16 The utterance of him who hears the words of God, And has the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Who falls down, with eyes wide open:

17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.

18 “And Edom shall be a possession; Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession, While Israel does valiantly.

19 Out of Jacob One shall have dominion, And destroy the remains of the city.”

One day a Star shall come out of Jacob. A Scepter shall rise out of Israel and justice will reign over all the earth. Jesus will return and just as the Star announced His Birth, we know the rest will be victoriously fulfilled.

Hallelujah, what a Savior we have!

Sad to say, with all that was revealed to him, Balaam still chose to turn away. We know he told King Balak that what he must do is entice the men with beautiful women and they would deny God following after and worshiping other gods. That he did, but God still prevailed over the victory for His people. Oh, yes, many were punished and the nation had to be cleansed many times over from the evil of sin that would invade. But we know He wins.

Beware of evil prophets all around us. But rest assured

If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you win in the end.

Much like Balaam, God even used Caiaphas to speak the truth about Jesus—though Caiaphas was unaware. Even thought he was the high priest, he proved to be an evil prophet proclaiming a truth beyond his own knowledge.

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor are you taking into account that it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.” 51 Now he did not say this on his own, but as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. Matthew 7 (NASB)

And Let Us End with This Song of Praise

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Serve the LORD with jubilation;

Come before Him with rejoicing.

3 Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving,

And His courtyards with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

5 For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting

And His faithfulness is to all generations.

Psalm 100 (NASB)

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Previously

How To Find Hope in The Desert Despite the Poison of Sin

DISCLOSURES

©Effie Darlene Barba, 2023
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Credits

New King James Version (NKJV)

New Living Translation (NLT)

English Standard Version (ESV)

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

Blog

How To Find Hope in The Desert Despite the Poison of Sin

March 11, 2023 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Everything in the Old Testament is a picture of Christ and representative as instructions to guide us through this journey. How many years do we find ourselves in the desert of life? We battle the same sins, desires, fears, angers, and disappointments as did the people then. How quickly do we fail God in the same way they did? How are we to find hope in the desert despite the poison of sin penetrating our own hearts? If it were not for Jesus we could not and would not. Thanks be to God that our salvation does not depend on us keeping it. Yet, we must strive, learn and grow every day. As we will see even Moses as an old man, failed to follow God’s command and faced the consequences. Let us always be aware of our own frailties.

We left off last week just after the people had complained against God and were consumed by fire. As noted in the verse from I Corinthians 10, not all pleased God. Many did not trust God. Then, they began to complain about the manna and wanted meat, but in their greed a plague came and killed many who had to be buried before they moved on to the next stop along the way to Hazeroth and then on to the wilderness of Paran. There in the wilderness once more we see the weakness of Aaron’s faith. He had built the Golden calf and now he is the complainer. Although God had so used Aaron and Miriam; yet, they fail God in this point. We too must always be aware of how quickly we can fall.

NUMBERS 12:1-2,9-10

Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. ²So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. ⁹So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. ¹⁰And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow. Then Aaron turned toward Miriam, and there she was, a leper.

Aaron pleaded and Moses prayed. However, God ordered that Miriam remain shut out of the camp seven days and then be restored.

Finally, the Israeli tribes are all near to the promised land. Spies are sent out to view the land. Despite everything God had faithfully brought them through the desert. Such an act of grace! But wait, what happens then?

Report of the Spies

²⁵At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. ²⁶And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the people of Israel in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought back word to them and to all the congregation and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷And they told him, “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.” Numbers 13:25-29 (ESV).

Hope in The Desert Despite the Poison of Sin

Faith spoke loudly through Caleb. God is with us. Regardless of how difficult it may look, God has shown us His strength repeatedly.

³⁰But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” ³¹Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” ³²So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. ³³And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Numbers 13:30-33 (ESV).

Yet, the people listened to the negative report. Weeping hysterically all night, they grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

“If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or even if we had died in this wilderness!” Number 14:2 (NASB)

Sound familiar? I mean how often do you and I do the same thing? We forget all He has done. We only see the evil forces around us. The world looks too hard and too scary. When we take our eyes off of God, the poisons of sin infiltrate our minds and hearts pushing out the tiny bits of faith that were there to hold us. We cannot see God when we fall into the wilderness mindset of fear.

Because of their sin, they are condemned to wander in the wilderness 40 years until that generation dies.

Intercessory Prayer of Hope in The Desert Despite the Poison of Sin

Once more, Moses prays in intercessory prayer for the people.

Then the Lord said: “I have pardoned, according to your word; ²¹but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord— ²²because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, ²³they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. ²⁴But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. Numbers 14: 20-24 (NKJV)

God then lays out the laws for when they do enter Canaan. Again, a promise that it will happen! However, just not for those who rejected Him. In those laws he tells them to place a blue tassle on their robes to remind them of who GOD IS and to trust Him, humbly. What do you wear or hold dear to remind you?

No sooner did He complete this, but a group of dissenters rose up in rebellion. Korah who was a Levite, believed he and his people should be in a higher position. Therefore, a large number rose up against Moses and Aaron.

The Poison of Sin Invades the People

God told Moses to step aside so God could destroy the congregation.

²⁶And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men! Touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins.” ²⁷So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.

²⁸And Moses said: “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. ²⁹If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. ³⁰But if the Lord creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the Lord.”

³¹Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, ³²and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. ³³So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly. Numbers 16: (NKJV)

After that you would think things might have changed, however, not so much.

Numbers 16:41-46 (NKJV)

⁴¹On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the people of the Lord.” ⁴²Now it happened, when the congregation had gathered against Moses and Aaron, that they turned toward the tabernacle of meeting; and suddenly the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. ⁴³Then Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of meeting.

⁴⁴And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵“Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”

And Moses and Aaron fell on their faces.

⁴⁶So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make ^[^g^]atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.” ⁴⁷Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So, he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. ⁴⁸And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.

Once more a picture of Christ and the grace that saved a people like us so undeserving of grace.

40 Years Later—a New Generation, Same poison of sin

Finally, they are marching forward toward the land and they once more come to Kadesh. Remember the place where their ancestors complained of having no water? Again we have the next generation with the same cry,

If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! ⁴Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here? ⁵And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink.” Numbers 20: 4-5 (NKJV)

The first time, God had told Moses to strike the rock. This time He tells Him to speak to the rock. Moses instead strikes the rock and the water flows forth, but why was this so wrong?

Remember, the verses of Paul? The Rock was a symbol of Christ. He was struck down for our sins and now all we must do to obtain the living water is to speak His name.

Why did Moses fail? Perhaps all the years of bearing the weight of the grumbling, he had anger sitting just under neath the service and it boiled up suddenly. I do that. In fact, I did that this week unjustifiably. We are never too old or too far into this walk, but that we might fail. Thank God for His mercy and grace which covers it all and restores us in harmony with Him.

Moses could not go into the promised land. At least not now. But remember this, he stood on the mount of transfiguration with Jesus thousands of years later. Grace provided him the way and grace is what carries us home as well.

A Reminder for Hope in the Desert Despite the Poison of Sin

they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

⁵But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

⁶Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

⁷Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

⁸Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

⁹Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

¹⁰Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

¹¹Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

¹²Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

¹³There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

I Corinthians 10:4-13 NKJV

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Previously

7 Faith and Hope Lessons in The Desert with God

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

New Living Translation (NLT)

English Standard Version (ESV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

Blog

7 Faith and Hope Lessons in The Desert with God

February 25, 2023 Effie Barba Leave a comment

Last week, in our study God freed the Israelite from slavery, much like He frees us from the bondage of sin. He established the Passover, a reminder to the people of His salvation and a picture of the greatest salvation to come in Jesus Christ. Then, He parted the Red Sea presenting a spectacular exodus for the people. Within 45 days they murmured about food and water, both of which God miraculously supplied. They had many lessons to learn about in the desert—lessons of faith and hope. As Christians we too often only learn faith and hope lessons when walking through the desert with God. There are moments we do not understand, much as the Israelite. Yet, it is amid the sorrows and difficulties we truly come to know who God is in all His wondrous Glory.

Well, as we saw last week, they came face to face with God at Mount Sinai. He was there on the mountain with thunder and lightning. He spoke the 10 commandments to the people directly where all could hear. They then asked, He continue His communication through Moses and promised to do all He commanded. Moses gave them the next set of commands and once more they covenanted to do all that God would ask.

In return God promised to guide, protect, and lead them to the promised land. Still, they needed to learn, God had spoken with truth as to what would be the best for their life when He spoke the 10 commandments. They thought on their own strength, they would follow all He said. However, while Moses was gone, the very next thing they did was break them all by building the Golden Calf and worshiping in a pagan manner.

Lesson #1 Concerning Faith and Hope in the Desert

Our hearts are evil and come up with evil plans always, unless we keep our eyes on God. With that we have very short memories from which the slightest distraction can throw us off course. Therefore, we must be reminded daily of who He Truly IS.

Many died because of their hardened heart; but God forgave all those who truly repented. A makeshift tabernacle was formed out of a tent where Moses could meet with God.

everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. ⁸And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and ^[^e^]the Lord would speak with Moses. ¹⁰When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. ¹¹Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. Exodus 33:7-11 (NASB1995)

A Humble Servant Recognizes His Need of God

Moses with total humility asked to know God more. He asked that God would lead Him and the people.

¹²Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ ¹³Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” ¹⁴And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” ¹⁵Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. (Exodus 33: 12-15).

Lesson 2 Concerning Faith and Hope in the Desert with God

We desperately need God to guide us. Which, He always will when we humbly ask. First, we must recognize our need before we can ask. God gave Moses the opportunity to be hidden in the cleft of a rock as God shows Him a glimpse of His glory in a way deeper than all the times before. Then God spoke as He passed by Moses.

⁵The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord. ⁶Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and ^]truth; ⁷who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Exodus 34:5-8 (NASB1995).

Moses again interceded for the people as He had all along the way. God proceeds to once more declare His covenant; but reminds Moses to tell the people of their obligations. Once more God wrote the 10 commandments on stones with His own hands.

Then all are given the tasks of building the tabernacle as a place for God to dwell and to go with the people. Every detail had to be met as every detail symbolized God’s masterful beauty. After all, He had designed the intricate details of life. He is a God of masterful, intricate detail.

Lesson 3 Concerning Faith and Hope in the Desert with God

Every detail in our life is directed by God. Our very hairs are numbered. No tear is wasted. Even our failures He masterfully weaves into the finished product of our lives. As David sang:

Even the darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

¹³For You formed myinward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:12-14

Once all was made, they began the journey.

³⁴Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁶Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; ³⁷but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. ³⁸For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel. Exodus 40:34-38 NASB

Lesson 4 Concerning Faith and Hope in the Desert with God

Do not move unless God says move. That is true of everything we do in life.

⁵Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
⁸Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
⁹He leads the humble in justice,
And He teaches the humble His way.
¹⁰All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.
¹¹For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great….

¹⁶Turn to me and be gracious to me,
For I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
Bring me out of my distresses.
¹⁸Look upon my affliction and my trouble,
And forgive all my sins.
¹⁹Look upon my enemies, for they are many,
And they hate me with violent hatred.
²⁰Guard my soul and deliver me;
Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You.
²¹Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for You.

After the tabernacle was ready, God set up a orderly positioning of all the tribes. An organized system was established so they could move quickly when God said march onward and rest when God said rest.

Lesson 5 Concerning Faith and Hope in the Desert with God

God does not author confusion in our heads. We do. Therefore when things are chaotic: Stop, take a deep breath, and focus on Him.

God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. I Corinthians 14:33 (NASB1995)

¹⁰“Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!”
¹¹The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress. Psalms46 (NASB1995)

No sooner did it look like everything was finally organized and the people following all that God said, but chaos broke out again.

Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. ²The people therefore cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord and the fire died out. ³So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them. Numbers 11: 1-3

Lesson 6 Concerning Faith and Hope in the Desert with God

A little seed of discontent can grow like a consuming fire in our hearts and minds. Therefore take care to pull the weeds before they sprout.

Did you ever do that? Some little thing grows to a mountain in moments of time and destroys all the good will and kindness you had previously known. The slightest seed of discontent becomes bitterness, frustration and sorrow. Joy, hope, and faith are hard to find there.

Well, the initial discontent grew into a rebellion over wanting meat.

⁴The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? ⁵We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, ⁶but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.” Numbers 11:4-6

Lesson 7 Concerning Faith and Hope in the Desert with God

Be careful what you ask for, God might just give it to you.

So, the people wanted meat. They did not trust that God was giving the best. The Manna provided everything they needed to live and flourish in the desert. So, God sent them quail. However, meat is not well suited for desert travelers. A horrible plague killed the greediest of the people.

Remember faith is knowing God IS and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Therefore, He sends us His best. We have nothing to complain about.

Final Thoughts:

As we travel through the deserts in life, let us keep our focus on the God. He knows what is best. We can either fall prey to all the hazards we face or we can seek to see God’s hand in every twist and turn. We can learn to trust Him, realizing as Paul wrote:

5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

²By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

³And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

⁴And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

⁵And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:1-5 (KJV)

Next week we will continue our journey through the desert to discover what more lessons we can learn to equip us on our way.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Previously

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

New Living Translation (NLT)

English Standard Version (ESV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

Blog

Joyfully Trusting God During the Desert Experiences of Life

February 18, 2023 Effie Barba Leave a comment

The Passover was established. Salvation promised through the Passover lamb. Jesus would one day arrive as the perfect Passover lamb, paying the price for all who would believe. The people were freed from Egyptian slavery. And all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are freed from the slavery of sin. No longer does sin have dominion over the spirit and soul of anyone who have been saved. However, the Israelites were not ready to serve God. They would have to go through the Desert first. And just like them we often must go through many trials before our hearts are truly transformed. Therefore, can we learn to be joyfully trusting God during the desert experiences of life? And if so, how?

After all God promised that all things work together for good. (Romans 8:28). God is good (I Chronicles 16:34) He will accomplish all that He has planned. (Isaiah 46:8-9). And furthermore, He will accomplish all that concerns me. (Psalm 138:8). Whatever desert experience is necessary to transform me into His likeness, I must walk through on my way to the promised land. The desert is a harsh place to be. There are moments of fear, hunger, and thirst; but He is there to lead us by day and night. If only we will keep our eyes on Him.

The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. Exodus 34:6

From Tyranny into Desert Experiences

What should have been a short, straight journey across the desert to the promised land proved to be an arduous journey for the nation of Israel. Barely having passed through the Red Sea so miraculously, they were quick to forget all the miracles witnessed in Egypt leading to their freedom.

Every plaque designed to demonstrate that God is the only true God. Every Egyptian god was fake and failed. After all the people had been there 400 years. Naturally some of the Egyptian ideas had infiltrated the people’s minds. They needed to see the truth. God established the Passover to save the people. Thereby God set the stage for the Messiah to come one day. With all that, well there should be no doubt of God’s power and might. No question left unanswered. Then topping it all off with the parting of the red sea and the drowning of the pursuing enemy. Certainly, God had done everything to prove His might, establish His purpose, and demonstrate His love for His people. But 45 days later.

Exodus 16 (NET).

When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt. ²The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!”

How quickly after our own salvation do we also come to the wilderness of sin and feel emotionally and spiritually hungry? Frightened by our surroundings. There God provided them with manna and water. We also need manna. Every morning to gather from His word all that we need for the day. And we need the Holy Spirit, our water.

Furthermore

How often do we fail to counsel a new babe in Christ of the need to feed on the word, lest they fall to the desert experiences?

Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, ³if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. 2 Peter 2:(NASB1995)[1]

They had tasted of His kindness, but now must actively put aside all slander to long for the pure milk of His word. This too we must encourage new believers in their journey. Advising them to seek His word and engage with the Holy Spirit through prayer.

More Trials to Face

Then there was no water. The people all bitterly complained; but God provided. Next Amalek came with his army to battle against the people. Once more God prevailed as long as He was given the honor, proving God is our Banner and fights every war for us, as long as we lift our hands up to Him. Another important lesson for every believer is to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6) every morning to face the battles of life against the enemy who can come at any moment.

Moses’ Father in law did come and recommend Moses divide up the people and set leaders over the groups so that all was better organized. Lesson for us? We cannot do it all alone. We need leaders and we need good counsel to help us along the way.

Meeting With God in the Desert Experiences

They reach Mt Sinai by the third month.

³Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ⁴‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself. ⁵Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; ⁶and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.” Exodus 19 (NASB1995)

Much like we, during those mountaintop experiences when we really feel His presence, the Israelite people responded.

⁸All the people answered together and said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do!” Exodus 19 (NASB)

How often do we say the same thing, only to quickly forget.

God instructs Moses to prepare the people to hear from God. They are to wash their clothes and prepare their hearts. Furthermore they are told that they must not go up the mountain nor touch its borders; because if they did they would die. They were to come near and to listen.

God Is Bigger Than They Ever Imagined

¹⁶So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. ¹⁹When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Exodus 19 (NASB1995)

Then God proclaimed the TEN Commandments

You shall have no other gods.
2. You shall not make idols.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord.
4. Remember the Sabbath, keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not lie.
10. You shall not covet.

And with-it God promised to protect, provide and bring them into the promised land. This God Spoke clearly for all the people to hear.

³Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do!” ⁴Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord. Exodus 24 (NASB1995)

The Covenant Fully Accepted

he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” ⁸So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Exodus 24: (NASB1995)

God Presents a Plan of His Glory Dwelling With the People

So, Moses went back up into the mountain with God. There God was going to write all the rest of the books in his own hands.

¹⁵Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. ¹⁷And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. ¹⁸Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Exodus 24(NASB1995)

How Quickly People Forget in the Desert Experiences

It did not take long for them to forget their covenant with God. While God is detailing the glorious tabernacle in which He planned to dwell with the people, they were breaking Commandments 1-3 at the same moment. They proceeded to break the rest in their lude ceremony to the Golden Calf. This after they clearly heard God speak and saw His Power thundering over the mountain.

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him….³Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. ⁴He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” ⁵Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.””

But what Lord did they want to worship? They had forsaken God and His Covenant by all that they had done. Yet, Moses intercedes in prayer on their behalf. We must learn both to not turn away from God during the moments we think He is silent. Also, we must be willing to stand in the gap through intercessory prayer while others are struggling.

So, back to the first question?

Is it possible to ever reach a point where we can be Joyfully Trusting God During the Desert Experiences of Life? Well at this point in their desert experiences, the Israelites haven’t learned the key yet. However, the key to joyfully trusting God during the desert experiences is knowing the first principle of faith. Faith is knowing God IS and that He is a rewarder to those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6.

7 Keys to Joyfully Trusting God During the Desert Experiences

Remember God IS Sovereign
Never Forget all that He has done for You
Do not lose sight of Calvary
Seek His word and time alone with Him each day
Put on the Whole Armor of God
Do Not Try to Do it Alone
Remember He loves you so much He sent His son to die for you and He has not given up on you. He is faithful.

Next week we will continue our journey through the desert experiences.

DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.

For Prayer or Comments

If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here

Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here

Previously

How Are Justice, Kindness, Bravery, and One True God shown in Exodus?

Can a Really Good Almighty God Allow Pain in Our Life?

DISCLOSURES

New King James Version (NKJV)

New Living Translation (NLT)

English Standard Version (ESV)

Photo licensed through Goodsalt.com

Blog

How Are Justice, Kindness, Bravery, and One True God shown in Exodus?

February 12, 2023 Effie Barba Leave a comment

God in whom all is, was and will ever be Yahweh (The Great I AM). There is no other God. That is the first and foremost idea one must know and cling to before anything else in this world or the gospel message can make sense. Yahweh is the one true God. That is evident as we now enter the second book of the Torah.

The Torah includes the first five books of the Bible. Written by God with Moses His instrument, the Torah is the foundation of God’s revelation of Himself. Everything else in our faith hinges on knowing there is only one True God. He is the author of our moral compass. He gave us the ability to reason and to choose. Built within each of us is a desire for justice, even when we do not understand how or why. Science could not create that from mere chemical reactions. From the beginning of Exodus 1 and throughout the plagues, one can see Justice, Kindness, bravery, and the infallible truth of One True God shown clearly in every verse.

The One Desire of the One True God

God, from the beginning, had one desire. That His Glory, all of it, be known and experienced by His creation. Yet, repeatedly it was necessary to cleanse the earth from the evil ideologies and to make Himself known to all nations. But along with reasoning and choice, the human race would always attempt to create a society outside of God. Oh, they would create many gods to worship; but these gods could never fulfill humanity’s needs. Broken and desperate, a chasm lay between humanity and God. A chasm that could only be bridged by God Alone. With sin’s presence in the heart of men, some would choose power, money, fame, and earthly pleasures which demanded the worship different gods. After all, the one true God might demand too much and spoil their fun. They choose to deny the truth that God is the only source of Spiritual life and true joy.

Exodus 1: Justice, Kindness, Bravery and One True God Shown Forth

All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. ⁶Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. ⁷But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them. Exodus 1: 5-7 (ESV)

This was God’s blessings on the people. They grew strong and multiplied. Instead of considering that perhaps their God was powerful, hence someone worthy to worship the new King of Egypt chose to fear their power. So, he ordered that taskmasters be set over them and oppress them. Yet, the more labor he placed on the people of Israel, the more they flourished.

So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves ¹⁴and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. Exodus 1: 13-14 (ESV).

But, that wasn’t working. They still flourished physically and emotionally. Next he decided to tell the Egyptian midwives who cared for the Hebrew women to kill every male born. A dual plan most likely to weaken the race both by reducing the males and then intermarriages would more likely result in the nation no longer existing as Israel. The two midwives were named Shiphrah and Puah. Note that their names are preserved by God, but the king is only known as king.

Justice, Kindness, Bravery rewarded

¹⁷But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. ¹⁸So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” ¹⁹The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” ²⁰So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. ²¹And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.

These Egyptian midwives showed great bravery in defying their king because they feared God. And they were rewarded. But they were two of several women God used to perform His will.

Then Pharaoh commanded all the people to cast every Hebrew son into the Nile River to die.

Yet, Moses’s mother hid him for three months. Then, she placed him in an ark of bulrushes and placed the basket on the river to float. Note this was the same river being used to kill the Hebrew boys. Then, she sent his sister to follow and watch. Quite brave.

⁵Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it. ⁶And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Exodus 2: 5-6 (ESV)

Although Egyptian, the daughter of Pharoah obviously had a different idea about the world, justice and kindness. Therefore, she showed bravery in going against the king’s edict. Either that or just an act of rebellion against her father.

An Internal Compass of Justice, Kindness, Bravery in Moses

We are not told all of how Moses was raised. He was nursed by his mother and taught for most likely three years. Then he was raised in Pharaohs court where he learned much about reading, writing, and history. Yet, remember, his adoptive mother also had acted with presumably a deep sense of justice and kindness by rescuing this Hebrew baby. After all, enough so to show such bravery in saving him. At any rate, he also developed a deep sense of justice within him. We know this by three incidences in his early life.

#1 Egyptian beating a Hebrew

¹¹One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.^[^c^] ¹²He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Exodus 2: 11-12

#2 Hebrew beating a Hebrew

¹³When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” ¹⁴He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” ¹⁵When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

#3 Philistine Shepherds Harassing Women

¹⁶Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock.

God’s Time For the Next Step.

²³During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. ²⁴And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. Exodus 2: (ESV)

Now, does anyone believe that God had forgotten and then suddenly remembered? No, of course not. He had been preparing the stage all the time; but the people had forgotten. When the Bible says then God remembered, it is merely pointing out that God is now ready for the next step. He had predicted their enslavement long before and had said what would happen. Just now, when they were ready to call on Him, now it is time. Until then, there was no indication that they even wanted Him to intervene.

The Burning Bush and a Hesitant Prophet

By now Moses was content with his life. No worries and no fear of the Egyptians coming after him. Life was comfortable. Then God showed up in a burning bush. Never again was life going to be comfortable.

When God called to him from the bush, Moses responded with “Here I am”. That was before he knew the task.

4 Objections to the Plan

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Exodus 3: 11

Remember God, Pharoah kind of wants me dead?

Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” ¹⁴And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Exodus 3 13-14

And who shall I say sent me? Remember, I have been gone a long time and I did not leave on good terms. The Israelite people hate me as much as Pharoah hates me.

Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ”²So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”

In other words, remember I grew up in Pharoah’s house. They won’t believe YOU sent ME. But then God gives him signs to use so they might believe and signs that would be presented before Pharoah as well.

Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Just Do It

When none of the excuses worked and God pretty much said, “JUST GO AND DO IT”, Moses conceded. God did promise to send his brother Aaron to help him.

Moses did as he was instructed. On the way though, it was his wife who circumcised their son when she realized Moses had not fulfilled this act in obedience to God which could cost her son’s life.

Finally, Moses arrives and goes before Pharaoh. Although Pharaoh did not kill Moses, neither does Pharaoh let the people go forth to worship God in the desert as requested by Moses.

Therefore, God sent 10 plagues. Each plague was designed to prove the gods of Egypt were powerless before the One True God. After each plague pharaoh would say he was going to let the people go. However, as soon as God removed the plague, Pharaoh would renege on the agreement, harden his heart, and make the lives of the Israeli people worse than before.

Justice, Kindness, Bravery, and the One True God Made Known

Several times it says, God hardened the heart of pharaoh. This terminology is best explained as, God allowed the pharaoh to fulfill his own human desire which does harden his heart against God. God allowed Pharoah without interference to make those choices. Therefore, it was not God who hardened Pharoah’s heart. Merely God did not soften Pharoah’s heart, but allowed Pharoah the right to choose and then be strengthened in his own false convictions.

Each Plague was to Prove God Stronger than any Egyptian God and Justice for all the Hebrew Babies Drowned in the River. There is no other God beside Him. All the Egyptian gods were helpless next to the One True God.

The List of Plagues[1]-Proof of Only One True God

The water of the Nile was turned to Blood: Exodus7:14-25. The gods judged: Hapi: the God of annual flooding; Osirus: The Nile River was his bloodstream.
Frogs: Exodus 8:1-15. The gods judged: Hapi and Hegt who had the head of a frog and were related to fertility: Hegt was a goddess.
Lice: These were tiny, stinging, blood sucking gnats. Exodus 8:16 -18. The God judged: Seb: the earth god.
Flies that came in swarms: Exodus 8:20-32. The gods judged: Hathor: the goddess of protection; Vatchi: fly God.
Livestock die: Exodus 9:1-7. The God judged: Apis: the bull god.
Boils on the body: Exodus 9:8-12. The God judged: Sekhmet: goddess of epidemics.
Hail and Fire: Exodus 9:13-15. The gods judged: Nut; the sky goddess; Seth: God of storms; Shu: God of the atmosphere.
Locusts: Exodus 10:1-20. The gods judged: Siris: God of crops; Serapia: protector of crops.
Darkness: Exodus 10:21-29. The God judged: Ra: the sun god who was the most worshipped God in Egypt.
Death of the First Born: Exodus 11:1-12:36. The God judged: Heget: goddess of birth; Min; the God of reproduction. Deliverance from death was only thru the offering of the Passover lamb. As a result of the plagues both Pharaoh and the Egyptians beg Moses and Israel to leave Egypt. God fulfilled His promise to free Israel.

Final Thoughts

God is Amazing. Every detail of each plague was to prove Himself to be the One True God. This was an act of kindness to witness His power not only to the Israelites; but also to the Egyptians. All who would choose to worship Him as the one True God that He is, could follow Him. Some of the Egyptians even went with the people during the Exodus. (Numbers 11:4 speaks of the mixed multitude).

God has proven Himself over and over to the world. Yet so often they choose to ignore Him. We, who know Him must continue to shout of His Glory to all the world. We are to speak of Justice, Kindness, Bravery and the One True God who sent His Son to pay the price for our sin. Shout it from the mountaintops, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father, except through Him. Salvation is through Jesus Christ and Him alone. There is no other way.