Category: Reflections from God’s Word

Reflections from time along in God’s Word

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Exodus 2:11-3:22 God Hears our Cries

“Moses named his first son Gershom,” for he explained, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.” Ex.2:22b NLT

Adopted by the Egyptian daughter of Pharoah, Moses had grown up as a foreigner in a foreign land. Whether it was his skin color or something else about his appearance, it was obvious to Moses all his life that he was different from the Egyptian family and others around him. At the same time, he saw Israelites, people who looked like him, serving his surrogate grandfather, Pharoah, the King of Egypt, as slaves.

What must that have been like? To grow up identifying as an Egyptian, when he was in fact, a Hebrew?

Apparently, it got the better of him after he grew up, because as 2:11-12 relate, when Moses “saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews,” … “Moses killed the Egyptian…”

When Pharoah learned what Moses had done, he wanted to kill him, which is what led Moses to Midian. 2:15

If Moses felt like a foreigner all his life, how much more did he feel like a foreigner in yet another culture? He apparently looked different from the Midianites, as the daughters of the priest of Midian recognized Moses as “an Egyptian.” 2:19

How striking that Moses never really had a home. That he was always a foreigner.

It reminds me of Hebrews 13:14, where the writer says, “For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” NLT

And Philippians 3:20, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there the Lord Jesus Christ.” NIV ‘84

In a very real sense, like Moses, we believers are aliens in this world.

It makes the beginning of the one Psalm Moses wrote all the more poignant: “Lord, through all the generations, You have been our home.” Ps. 90:1

Throughout the book of Exodus, Pharoah and Egypt, are portrayed as oppressors and enemies of God’s people. But this reality is not just a historical reality. Slavery in Egypt is also a powerful metaphor for our natural slavery to sin.

In fact, the entire book of Exodus can be read as illuminating the Christian life.

The way the exodus of God’s people from slavery begins in Ex. 2:23-25 is striking. Verse 23 says the Israelites groaned “under their burden of slavery. They cried for help…” Interesting that the text doesn’t say that they cried to God. Just that they groaned and cried.

The beauty and kindness it reveals about God that it didn’t matter whether they were crying to Him or not. The fact they weren’t crying to Him didn’t keep Him from hearing or acting.

How many times do people share testimonies of their misery and how God turned to them and moved them to turn to Him? I’ve heard countless stories like that. And that is my own story too.

As an eighteen-year-old freshman in college, I was convinced something was wrong with me that made me incapable of being loved. Being a child from a broken home left me feeling like I never really had a home. And like so many, I sought to fill the emptiness with so many of the world’s enticements, as if eating those fruits would give me the joy I so longed for. But they only left me starving for more. My desperation grew to the point that I decided to end my life. But God heard my groaning. He heard my cries. And He moved me to turn to Him instead. He gave me hope that He loved me. He became my Home.

How that moves me to pray for my prodigal and so many wandering ones who are seeking to find wholeness in this world. The nature of what they’re doing to find satisfaction doesn’t really matter. It will never satisfy. It will never be enough.

How I pray that God will hear the groaning and cries of my prodigal and all the wandering ones my Father has led me to pray for. That He will hear their groaning. And remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That He will look down on these wandering ones, dearly loved covenant children, and know it is time to act.

Exodus 3:9 begins with the word, “Look!” Since the writers of Scripture didn’t use boldface font or italics or underlining, when they wanted readers to really pay attention to what they were about to say, they would begin with the word, “Look!” or in some translations, “Behold!” In other words, “Pay close attention to what I’m about to say.” Gaze at these words. Think about them. Ponder.

And what is it that God wants Moses to pay attention to? To know? To meditate on?

“The cry of the people of Israel has reached Me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them.” V. 9

Likewise, we can plead that the cries of we and our covenant children have reached God’s ears. That He sees how harshly this world abuses them.

That knowledge moves me to persevere in prayer for my prodigal and others. How thankful I am for the many people who tell me they are praying for him. The Holy Spirit is so kind to move us to pray and to intercede on our behalf.

And so, as the Bible reading plan I’m using also has me in Luke 6:27-36, I gain new insight in what it means to love our enemies. Especially when those enemies—those who hate us—are our own family. God tells us to love them—to do good to them. Because then we “will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.”

As the story of God’s people in Exodus goes forward, we will see just how wicked they were. And in seeing their love of sin, we see our own wickedness. I see my own love of this world. My godly nature hates this world, but my sinful nature loves it.

But God has been kind to me—one who is so often unthankful and wicked. And that moves me to want to show His kindness and mercy to those who are like me.

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Life from Leviticus: Repetition Points to Jesus

Life in Leviticus: Jesus

Life from Leviticus? Can you really see the grandeur of Christ in the third book of the Bible? Repetition in Leviticus points to Jesus by magnifying our sin and the holiness of God.

Starting Leviticus

Today’s One Year Bible reading was Leviticus 1:1-3:17. Before reading, I watched The Bible Project’s overview, which got me SO EXCITED about reading Leviticus!!! As opposed to how I’ve felt in the past…

The first few times I tried to read the Bible–Leviticus totally tripped me up.

With the background from that video in mind and my journal in hand, the Lord showed me Jesus in so many beautiful ways I thought I’d share…

Leviticus starts with the point of ALL the sacrifices and offerings:
v. 3 “So you may be accepted by the Lord.”
v. 4 “the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with Him.”

v. 4 “the Lord will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with Him.”

Leviticus 1:4

Wow. Substitutionary atonement. Right there. I remember as a young Christian asking how God saved people before Jesus came. And there you see it.

All the sacrifices in the OT point to Jesus.

Repeated Words and Phrases

So many repeated words and phrases emphasize the magnitude of our sin and the magnitude–the depth of the holiness of God–the grandeur of Christ’s sacrifice. Repetition in Leviticus points to Jesus.

No defects v. 3, 10

Slaughter…in the Lord’s presence vv. 5, 11, 3:2, 7, 13

Splatter the blood on all sides of the altar vv. 5, 11, 3:2, 8, 13

Wash internal organs first vv. 9, 13

Special gift, pleasing aroma to the Lord vv. 9, 13, 17, 2:2, 9, 3:5, 16

Drain its blood v.15

Tear bird open without tearing it apart v. 17

Most holy part of gifts to Aaron & sons (priests) presented to Lord vv. 2:3, 10

No yeast 2v4, 5, 11

Season with salt 2v. 13

Special gift presented to the Lord 2:16, 3:3, 9, 14

Peace offering vv.3:1, 3, 9

Internal organs removed vv.3:4, 10, 14

Male or female 3:1, 6

Special gift of food presented to the Lord 3 v. 16

Thank You, Holy Spirit, for leading me to pay attention and write down repeated words and phrases and how You use that to help me see Jesus.

Seeing Jesus in the Repetition

To think, Jesus, of how You had NO DEFECT.

How You were slaughtered in the Lord’s presence.

You had NO need for Your internal organs to be washed, for You are HOLY, without blemish.

You, and You alone, are TRULY a SPECIAL GIFT–Your SACRIFICE–above any other, was a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Your blood drained.

First, with the 39 lashes–as Your internal organs from Your back were ripped out. Just as the animals kidneys and organs were ripped out.

Your blood drained. Just as the priests drained the animals’ blood.

There was NO sin–as yeast points to sin.

And I think of the Passover and also of the Lord’s Supper.

Yet, You did not allow yeast, which spreads so rapidly, like sin.

How much better bread tastes with yeast. And yet I look at the ill-effects of eating too much. And all the issues today so many have with gluten.

I’m reminded that sin is fun–pleasurable for a season. And yet it leads to death.

You had NO sin.

When You presented the Lord’s Supper, You said, “Take and eat. This is My Body.”

Does the grain offering somehow point to Your Body?

You required salt.

What does salt do?

It’s a preservative and it flavors.

You have called us the salt of the earth–to preserve and flavor–for You–as ambassadors.

The priests could offer birds and tear them open–but not tear them apart.

Just as Your Body was torn, but not torn apart. No bone was broken.

Lord God, blessed Trinity, thank You for this beautiful way You have pointed to Jesus in these verses in Leviticus.

 

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OYB Reflections, 5-5-20, Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22

NOTE: I began journaling as a little girl, so when I became a Christian, it was a natural step to journal my prayers and reflections from reading God’s Word. I don’t know if anyone else spends time in God’s Word like this? But it’s been so helpful to me. Years ago a friend suggested I could blog, and I’ve never stuck with it for long, but as I spent this time this morning, I wondered if what God was showing me might be helpful for others?

Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him.

Ruth 1:1, NLT

Thank You, Lord, as I am reading the OT this AM, that I have such greater understanding than ever before. We are NOT in a famine. But this is the closest I’ve ever experienced.

A famine of toilet paper. Not knowing if we’ll be able to get more. And many times I have not been able to purchase foods that before this pandemic hit, I would have taken for granted as always being there. Lord, forgive my lack of gratitude. And thank You, for ALL Your provision.

So, now, when I read that this was a time the judges ruled, as I just read in Judges 21:25 “when everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” that there was this famine. And what lengths would I go to provide for my family if I were afraid they would starve?

There had been another time in Your Word when Your people left the Promised Land because of famine. When Jacob brought ALL his family to Egypt–when You providentially called his son Joseph to be prime minister. But this was not like that. This was NOT Your telling them to go. This was not them asking You if they should go. This was them being desperate and doing what was right in their own eyes.

But, this man was from Bethlehem in Judah!

Had there been prophecies about Judah and the Messiah coming from Judah? Seems like maybe Jacob, when he blessed his sons, may have said something that hinted at that?

Genesis 49:8-12

I confess that I don’t understand fully what this blessing means. But certainly, v. 10, when it says, “the scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,” it sounds like a RULER will come for Israel from Judah, and then it says “until the coming of the One to whom it belongs.” What belongs? The ruler’s staff.

So, yes, this definitely sounds like this blessing is a prophecy that THE RULER of Israel will come from Judah. And then it says, “The ONE whom ALL nations will honor.” And the next verses drip with symbolism: “He washes his clothes in wine, His robes in the blood of grapes.” So, huge clues to pay attention to as we read Ruth 1:1.

How fascinating and beautiful and mysterious are Your ways, O Lord! If we were writing the story, would we have ever imagined writing it like this? And the really amazing this is that You had told Your people NOT to intermarry with the surrounding nations. And yet, as Elimelech makes his free choice, we see how You use our choices to bring about Your plans.

The Moabites weren’t exactly foreigners. But they weren’t part of the nation of Israel either. They descended from Abraham’s nephew, Lot and his incestuous relationship with his oldest daughter. Makes me want to vomit to even think about it. You had forbidden this.

And yet.

You show how You are able to take something immoral, something sexually reprehensible and use it for good and bring something beautiful out of it. Even the Messiah. WOW. Among these people, Elimelech finds a wife for his sons. Ruth. The grandmother of King David.

Apart from this action, there would be no Jesus!

And the precious LIGHT in v. 6!!! First, that Naomi heard this news in Moab. How did she hear the news? The text doesn’t say, but I would imagine a traveler. And then, the way You put it–not just “things are better or have turned around,” but rather “the Lord has blessed His people in Judah by giving them good crops again.”

The irony is so thick in v. 13 as Naomi says “Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the Lord has raised His fist against me.”

How often, Lord, have we felt just that–that You have raised Your fist against us?

How many people today feel that You have raised Your fist against them? Yet all the while, You are doing a deeper magic. You are working in a way that she would not have believed if You had told her. And You are doing that now. Oh would You give grace to Your people to see Your hand in their lives –that they would turn to You? And see Your hand in their provision.

Oh Lord, thank You, that in Your Providence, for the way the OYB is laid out, that I’m reading John 4 the same day at the same time as I start reading Ruth. Because here, Jesus, You–God in human flesh–do the EXACT SAME THING we see in Ruth.

In Ruth, You use means to work it out so that this “foreign” woman–not of the people of Israel–would be brought in.

And here, Lord Jesus, You, God incarnate, DO the SAME thing with the Samaritan woman.

I remember a preacher commenting that the Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans in those days AND that the reason she would have been there at noon, in the heat of the day–was to avoid people–because of her tarnished reputation–having had five husbands and now living with a man who was not her husband.

Again, more sexual immorality.

And what is happening between them is thick with symbolism as You, the Water of Life, ask her for a drink of water.

And the sweetness of Your words to her…”If you only knew the gift God has for you, you would ask Me and I would give you living water.”

If she only knew the gift God had for her…she would ask.

Oh Lord, that is my prayer for friends and family who thirst–that You would show them that You are the Gift–that they can come to You and thirst no more.

I love how You tell her that the water You offer “becomes a fresh bubbling spring within them.” And it is at this point, the scales fall from her eyes. At this point, realization sweeps over her–now she sees and knows the GIFT–that You are the GIFT.

And she says, “Please give me this water.”

But unlike so many evangelists today in a rush for numbers, you make sure she understands what it means to come to You have her thirst quenched.

Does she really WANT this water? Does she really want to satisfy her thirst in You, Lord Jesus? Or does she want to just taste it and keep also trying to drink from the water that is likely gravel in her mouth? From the fleeting-momentary sweetness of sin?

You tell her to go get her husband–exposing her immorality. But more than that, exposing how she has sought to satisfy her thirst for You with water that leaves her thirsting for more–with one man after another.

But they are never enough.

And how often is that same story repeated today, Lord? For so many? Not just women. And not just relationships. All around people dying of thirst, trying to quench it with ANYTHING but Living Water. Oh Lord, would You use even this pandemic to open their eyes to see? To come to You and thirst no more?

Lord, like this woman, we live in a day where there are worshipers all around. Very few people would say they don’t believe in some sort of deity. And like this woman, they have questions about worship. Some follow this religion, others that, and increasingly what was said in the time of the Judges could be said of people today: “Everyone does what is right in his own eyes.” “There is no king.” They are governed by self.

But as You said to this woman, so You still say, “The time is coming and now is when true true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth.”

Thank You, Father, that You are looking for those who will worship You that way. That You are Spirit. And we must worship You in spirit and truth. Please give us grace to do just that.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You always worshiped in Spirit and Truth and that Your righteousness not only covers us, but that You indwell us through Your Holy Spirit, enabling us to worship You in Spirit and Truth too. What joy! What sweetness!

You plainly told this woman, “I am the Messiah.”

Oh Lord, would You just as clearly reveal Yourself to people today? That they would turn to You like this woman? And move us, as Your people to respond as this woman, to tell others.

Thank You so much for v. 39–that many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because of this woman’s testimony. And how they told her in v. 42, “we now believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard Him ourselves.”

O Lord, would You help us as Your people to be like this woman so that more and more people would want to hear You for themselves?