Skip to main content

January 22 + Daily readings and notes

DAY 22


It's a new day and a new people.  Life as freed people begins in today's readings.  They have much to learn about what it means to be God's people, but God will show them.  God still shows us!

DAILY READINGS

DAILY NOTES

Exodus 16:1
  • Jewish commentary suggests this is when they ran out of the cakes the left Egypt with.
Exodus 16:2
  • Another complaint
Exodus 16:4
  • The bread from heaven, in part, will be a test of the people's obedience.  I bet none of us can guess how that test is going to go.
Exodus 16:7
  • God had heard their cry.  Now, God has heard their complaining.
Exodus 16:8
  • So far, God hadn't said anything about meat.
Exodus 16:12
  • "Then you shall know" is odd if you consider what happened a little over a month prior to this.  How could they not already "know" that God was their God?  
Exodus 16:15
  • When they ask, "What is it?" they literally say "manna."  
Exodus 16:34
  • There's a covenant already?
Exodus 17:2
  • Complaining has turned into quarreling.  The escalation makes Moses fear the people stoning him (Verse 4).
Exodus 17:6
  • How will God be standing there?  We've seen a burning bush and pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire.  Does the cloud rest there?
Exodus 17:8-9
  • Their first battle is initiated by an outside group.  Perhaps their wandering is seen as a threat.
  • We're first introduced to Joshua.  His first task is battle.  
  • Once again, Moses' staff will be a sign of power for the people.  
Exodus 17:11-12
  • How long before they figured Moses was having an influence of the battle?
  • He had told Joshua he would stand on the top of the hill to watch.  So, the stone put under him probably allowed him to rest comfortably in an upright position.  Aaron and Hur take their supportive positions around him.   
  • Their work proves victorious. 
Exodus 18:2
  • Jewish commentary says that when Moses first met Aaron in the wilderness, when Moses was first returning to Egypt (Exodus 4:20, 27), Aaron told him not to allow his family to go to Egypt because it would only add to the number of people who were suffering.
  • Moses doesn't seem to greet his wife and children.  We're only told about him and Jethro.  
Exodus 18:7
  • Moses has great respect for his father-in-law.  Perhaps this is a continuation of the relationship they had before.  Perhaps Moses recognizes that everything that happened in Egypt began with Jethro's blessing.
Exodus 18:11
  • Israel's triumph over Egypt stands as a witness for all people to the power of God.
Exodus 18:17
  • Jethro has the respect of Moses.  Enough that Moses is willing to listen to what he has to say.  Jethro tells Moses that the way he is dealing with the people, taking all the responsibility himself, is "not good."  It is not something he can do alone for long without sacrificing his well being and the well being of the people.
Exodus 18:20
  • If you're a leader in the church, listen up!  Don't just lead people, teach them.  
Psalm 22
  • It is obvious the psalmist is in great distress.  Even so, his song of pain and suffering turns into a song of praise.  
  • The opening words of the psalm are words Jesus used on the cross.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

We recall that the main reason God delivered the Israelites was so that they could be free to worship God.  Now that they have been saved, they begin their journey.  Their first lessons were tests of obedience.  There will surely be other tests to come.  Unfortunately, not everyone listened.

What I find interesting is how the Sabbath in emphasized so early.  You would think that they needed to do what they could to hurry along and get where they needed to be.  That's just like us.  Look at our calendars and what fills our days and you see how much we are hurrying along.

But God's command to rest is one of the first that we learn in our new life.  To be sure, rest is not merely taking a nap, vegging out on the couch.  It's more than that.  Moses first called it "a day of solemn rest."  It is a holy rest.  That's why the people would later reorganize their lives in a way that freed (see what I did there?) them to observe that day.

Free people rest.  God's people are free.  So, God's people understand the importance of keeping, protecting their day of rest.  Moses told the people that God gave them the sabbath.  So, holy resting is a gift from God.  Chores can wait.  Paperwork will always be there.  You can't be the free child of God that God made you if you don't take a day of holy rest.

Stay blessed...john
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

March 24 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 83 The relationship between Saul and David worsens.  David is now Saul's enemy.   DAILY READINGS 1 Samuel 18-20 & Psalm 83 DAILY NOTES 1 Samuel 18 Saul's delight for David quickly turns.  Saul is jealous of David's success and the fact that everyone else seems to like David more than him. Of course, we have to think about what this evil spirit from the Lord might mean. Saul tries to kill David.  He even devises a plan to have him married into the royal family so that he can create a snare for him. What does it say about David that, even after Saul has tried to kill him, he still finds it an honor to be married to the family? David escapes Saul's traps.  So, from here on out, the text says that Saul considered David an enemy.  Think he knows what it means to love your enemies? 1 Samuel 19 Verse 5 reminds us of David's fight with Goliath.  At this point, David has fought other times.  What makes that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

May 23 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 143 DAILY READINGS Job 12-15 & Psalm 138 DAILY NOTES Job 12 Surely, Job says, his friends don't think they're the only ones with wisdom?  Plus, they are telling him anything that isn't known by all.   Maybe they aren't as smart as they think they are? God holds true wisdom.  "With God are wisdom and strength" (vs. 13). Job 13 Job's friends have taken it upon themselves to speak on behalf of God.  Job considers their representation to be false because they have not considered Job's condition. Job 14 Job's prayer to God continues. We see a bit of the book's larger vision in these verses.  Job recognizes, and wants God to remember, that all humanity shares the same days of life.   Job 15 Eliphaz considers that Job's questioning hinders God and would keep others from knowing God. Psalm 138 The praise of the psalmist is a communal act.   God has been faithful and the psalmist wants to thank God...
Post a Comment
Read more

March 13 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 72 Are you familiar with Gideon?  Do you know why the people who leave Bibles in hotel rooms call themselves the Gideons?   Well, let's read about Gideon first and found out about the Gideons later. DAILY READINGS Judges 6-8 & Psalm 72 DAILY NOTES Judges 6:1-10 The Israelites are oppressed by the Midianites.  They are forced to flee to the mountains and caves.  The Israelites were "impoverished" and the land was "wasted."   The Israelites call out to God.  A prophet arose to confirm their current situation is due to their turning away from God.  Scripture doesn't tell us who the prophet was, but Jewish commentary offers a name. Judges 6:12 Gideon is approached by an angel of the Lord.  He is called a "mighty warrior."   Judges 6:22 After the sign Gideon asks for comes to pass, he believes he has seen the angel of God and believes what he has told him.   Judges 6:25-27 ...
Post a Comment
Read more