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January 18 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 18

Today's video gives an overview of the first portion of the book of Exodus.  Look for the 2 words that are given for the first time.



May the Lord add his blessing to your reading today!

DAILY READINGS

Exodus 4-6 & Psalm 18

DAILY NOTES

Exodus 4:1
  • Maybe, Moses thought, they would listen to me, but they won't believe me.  That is, perhaps they would give him a chance to speak, but then wouldn't not believe what he had to tell them.
Exodus 4:10
  • Moses has questioned both the call of God and his calling from God.  
Exodus 4:14
  • The Lord's anger was kindled.  The text reads that God's anger was "being hot."  That's ironic because God has appeared in a burning bush that is not being consumed.  
Exodus 4:15
  • God tells Moses that his brother Aaron is coming to meet him.  Is this God's sign to Moses?
Exodus 4:16
  • God gives Aaron's and Moses' roles in God's plan.  Aaron is Moses' mouthpiece.  Moses is Aaron's God.  Why doesn't God speak to the people directly yet?  
Exodus 4:21
  • God is showing Moses that none of this will be easy.  Pharaoh's heart will be hardened.  That is, he is not going to want to allow the Israelites to leave.
Exodus 4:24-26
  • Since Zipporah circumcised her son, this appears to be a call back to Abraham's covenant (Genesis 17:14).  Still, a little warning to Moses seems appropriate.  Perhaps God's anger is still kindled?  
  • Notice, though, that God remembers.  
Exodus 4:31
  • It's unclear whether Aaron and Moses had to show the people the signs.  
  • The people believed them and immediately respond in worship to God.  The worship of God is important.  They worship here together.  God's message to Pharaoh is to let the people go to worship.  And God's sign to Moses will be that the people are able to worship.
Exodus 5:1-5
  • Maybe Pharaoh would have had regard for Israel's God if he had known him.  This the first time anyone in Egypt knows God's name.  
  • Where are the elders that were supposed to go with Moses and Aaron to speak with Pharaoh?
Exodus 5:6-9
  • Power not only has the ability to tell people what to do, but also to reassign a people's worth.  In one statement, Pharaoh translates the call for freedom into an accusation of laziness.  Who will the Egyptians believe?
Exodus 5:21
  • Literally, you have caused us to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh.  
    • Is there where we get the idea of the stink eye?
Exodus 6:1
  • God will show his "mighty" hand.  Read "strong" and/or "steadfast."
  • There are times when you need a moment of strength.  There are times, perhaps many more times, when you need ongoing strength.  God will demonstrate both.
Exodus 6:2-8
  • Moses has accused God of doing "nothing at all" (Exodus 5:23).  Just look at what God has done and is ready to do:
    • Appeared
    • Established
    • Heard
    • Remembered
    • Free
    • Deliver
    • Redeem
    • Take
    • Bring
    • Give
Psalm 18
  • This is a great psalm to study the important and use of imagery in scripture.  
  • We're used to thinking of worship having a strong teaching element.  If psalms are worship, however, you notice there is very little in the way of teaching happening, at least in the let-me-teach-you-doctrine sense.
  • Look at the images the psalmist uses to describe who and what God is.  What God has done.  

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

The people had been told what God was ready to do for them.  They were all in at first.  Then it proved to be more difficult than they realized, or were ready for.  Where once they worshiped God after learning about their upcoming freedom, now they were ready to forgo it all because of their current condition.

That'll preach.

The Israelites learn that their freedom is going to cost them.  That's when they are ready to turn away.  Even Moses falls into this trap.  God warned Moses Pharaoh's heart was going to be hardened.  Don't think, Moses, that this is going to be an easy afternoon project.  At the first sign of difficulty, Moses declares that God has done nothing to free his people.

We are just like that, aren't we?  When we get uncomfortable or when things don't go our way, we're ready to turn back.  Here's a question to chew on: Why are we so willing to settle for the slavery we know rather than accepting the freedom that God promises us?

Stay blessed...john

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