tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29328734887587369492024-03-13T20:52:44.245-07:00Soul RejoicePastor's ThoughtsPastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-22514221699615066302021-06-22T13:04:00.003-07:002021-06-22T13:04:45.260-07:00A Godly Fear<p><b><i> “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, That the mountains might quake at Your presence—As fire kindles the brushwood, as fire causes water to boil—To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence!”</i></b> (Isa 64:1-2). </p><p>What a prayer! What an image! I have always found this passage riveting. Actually, these final chapters of Isaiah are fascinating because they describe eschatological events. Eschatology is the study of the end times, and the Bible has lots and lots to say about the topic. It is in this setting that we find our verses. Isaiah longs for the day when God will reveal Himself to the nations. He will no longer be out of sight, hidden away by the heavens. Isaiah prays that God would rend the heavens much as we read of the curtain of the holy of holies being sundered in two at the Crucifixion (cf. Matt 27:51). In other words, Isaiah is praying, “rip open the heavens and reveal Yourself as at Sinai when the mountains quaked and fire raged” (cf. Exod 19). </p><p>Isaiah uses graphic imagery here. God’s fiery presence is said to set the mountains ablaze like brushwood and to make them boil like water (v. 2). Is this the picture that pops into our minds when we think of God’s presence? Do we think of our God as a consuming fire? (Heb 12:29). We should! Because that is how God has revealed Himself! </p><p>The result of this revelation of God’s fiery presence is that the nations who oppose God would tremble before Him. This will be something that happens in the final days (Rev 6:12-17; Rev 19-20; 2 Thess 1:7-8). The wrath of almighty God will be kindled (Psalm 2:12) and no one will be able to stand before Him. </p><p>I want to focus on this topic of the fear of the Lord. This is a theme that stretches from Genesis to Revelation. </p><p>Consider these statements in the first five books of the Bible.</p><p>Gen 20:11 – Abraham was afraid that there was no fear of God in Gerar, so he resorted to deceit</p><p>Gen 22:12 – The angel assured Abraham that God knew he feared Him because of his obedience </p><p>Gen 31:42 – God is called “the fear of my [Jacob’s] father, Isaac.”</p><p>Gen 42:18 – Joseph, in disguise, told his brothers that he feared God.</p><p>Exod 9:30 – Moses told Pharaoh that he knew he did not yet fear the LORD God.</p><p>Exod 18:21 – Moses was told to pick men who fear God to serve as leaders</p><p>Exod 20:20 – Moses told Israel that God had appeared on Sinai in fire and spoken to them in order to test them and out the perpetual fear of God upon them.</p><p>Lev 25:17 – “You shall fear your God, for I am the Lord your God”</p><p>Deut 4:10 – Moses recounted God’s appearance to the people at Sinai to hear His words so that they would fear Him.</p><p>Deut 5:29 – God expressed His desire that the people would fear Him always. </p><p>Deut 6:2 – All generations should fear the Lord to keep His statues and prolong life in the land.</p><p>Deut 6:13 – Fear only the Lord your God</p><p>Deut 6:24 – The LORD commanded them to fear Him forever.</p><p>Deut 8:6 – Keep His commandments to walk in His ways and fear Him.</p><p>Deut 10:12 – What does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God?</p><p>Deut 10:20 – You shall fear the LORD your God</p><p>Deut 13:4 – You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him.</p><p>Deut 14:23 – Eating the portion of the tithe in the presence of God to learn to fear Him.</p><p>Deut 17:19 – The king would be required to write a copy of the law and read from it daily to learn to fea4 the LORD.</p><p>Deut 25:18 – Amalek did not fear God</p><p>Deut 28:58 – Fear this honored and awesome name, the LORD your God.</p><p>Deut 31:12-13 – Hear and learn and fear the LORD your God.</p><p>That is only the references to the fear of the Lord in the Torah! There are many more references scattered throughout the rest of Scripture! No wonder Solomon wrote that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom! (Prov 1:7).</p><p>Someone will counter that these are Old Testament passages. Surely the New Testament does not tell us to fear God. On the contrary. Consider:</p><p>Matt 28:4, 8</p><p>Luke 1:50; 5:26; 7:16; 8:37; 12:5; 18:2; 23:40</p><p>Acts 5:5, 11; 9:31; 13:26; 16:29; 19:17</p><p>Rom 3:18</p><p>2 Cor 5:11; 7:1,</p><p>Eph 5:21</p><p>Phil 2:12</p><p>1 Pet 1:17; 2:17</p><p>Rev 11:18; 14:7; 15:4; 19:5</p><p>Note that Ephesians 5:21 says to be subject to one another in the fear of CHRIST! We, the beloved of God, fear Him and serve Him and walk according to His commandments. </p><p>The unbelieving world does not. There is no fear of God before their eyes (Rom 3:18). As I pray for my community and for the nation, my prayer has increasingly become, “Make the people fear you.” It is only when the people regard God’s perfection that they will learn to fear Him on account of their sinfulness. It is only then that they will cry out to Him for grace and mercy. It is only then that Christ can become sweet to them. Perhaps we have recoiled too much from the label “fire and brimstone.” We need to warn of the wrath to come. We need to warn people that they will stand before a holy God. We need to press it into their minds and hearts. Only then will the salvation through Christ be appealing. </p><p>The church has tried to find all kinds of ways to appeal to unbelievers today. The message has been softened. The fear of God has been dropped in favor of thinking of God as your “best friend” and “greatest advocate.” He is that, but He is also the holy, powerful, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, triune King of Creation! O that God would reveal Himself to unbelievers to make them quake with fear and bow to Him. O that they would be driven to cry out, “Woe is me! How can I stand before a holy and fearsome God?” Only then will the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ sound sweet to them! </p><p>Isn't the good news of the gospel marvelous? Christ took our penalty so that we no longer fear the condemnation of God! Now we rejoice in His great love and mercy and grace. Yet there is still a godly and healthy fear of the Lord. It is not a fear of punishment, but a fear of respect. It is often thought of and translated "reverence," but I'm not quite sure that is a strong enough word. We live in an irreverent culture. We are casual with most everybody. The tendency, then, is to be casual with God. While there is intimacy, familiarity, and friendship, there must also be great reverence (dare I say fear) in our relationship with God.</p><p>So, friend, how do you approach God? If you find yourself too casual in God's presence, then perhaps it is time for you to saturate yourself with the attributes of God. Bow before the eternal king and bask in the light of His glory. “Great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:11). So, believer, serve Him with fear and rejoice with trembling (cf. Psa 2:11). He is your God and King, and He has adopted you into His own household and promised you an inheritance! </p><p>"What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming day of God, because of which the heavens will be destoryed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!" (2 Pet 3:11-12).</p><div><br /></div><p> </p>Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-426965542533154242021-06-18T13:06:00.001-07:002021-06-22T13:06:22.940-07:00Purify Yourself!<p> <span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 11pt; text-size-adjust: auto;">This sentence in 1 John stood out to me during my Scripture reading this morning: “Everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). I have preached these verses a number of times and this always convicts me.</span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 11pt; text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;">One of John’s constant emphases in his first epistle is righteousness. He begins with his authoritative eyewitness message in chapter 1 that brings us into fellowship with the Father and Son (1:1-4). Those who believe the gospel message and come to know the Father will from that moment on be marked by righteous living. He describes this with a metaphor: light. First, he sets forth this proposition: “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1:5). He immediately follows up by saying that all who claim to know God must walk in the light, and anyone who does not is demonstrably a liar. Since God is holy and righteous, so must we be. If anyone hears about God’s righteous character and concludes that they do not sin (or even worse, have never sinned), then they show that they do not understand the gospel. For those who conclude that they have never sinned, he says that they make God out to be a liar. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;">He continues this theme of righteous living as a characteristic of true Christians throughout the epistle. It is impossible for a believer to read 1 John and walk away without strong conviction of sin. A regular reading of this epistle will soften our hearts and keep us aware of the danger that constantly looms. The worst danger of all is that we would become apathetic to sin. It is to lower our defenses and let down our guard. It is to give in to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life (2:15-17). It is to blindly trust others who make confident assertions about God and the Bible (2:18-27; 4:1-6). It is to bow down before the idols of our hearts (5:21). I am convinced that this last command of the book is a laser-focused summary of the entire epistle: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (5:21). <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;">So, how do we purify ourselves from day to day? There are many answers we could list: prayer, Scripture reading and memory, accountability partners, Christian books, Christian counseling, etc. Those are all wonderful tools in sanctification. But there is something that will motivate us to unceasing self-purification. What does John say it is? Our hope!<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;">What hope is this? First, let me say that biblical hope is not some wish concerning the outcome of a probability. It’s not, “I hope it’s a sunny day tomorrow,” or, “I hope my team wins tonight.” It is a confident expectation of a certain thing. What is the confident, expectant hope that John tells us to fix on Him? Christ’s glorious return and our outward transformation. “We know that when He appears we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is” (3:2).<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;">Beloved, do you yearn for His Coming? Do you earnestly hope for this every day? Or is His coming in the clouds something you let slip your mind for days or weeks at a time? Do you pray, “Lord, hasten the day!” (2 Pet 3:12)? If you do not daily set your mind there (Col 3:1-4), may I suggest that this is part of the reason you struggle with holiness? <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;">Let me end with a personal anecdote. I had a dream one night in April (only a few months ago) where I heard a voice say that Jesus would be coming the next day. I woke up with this statement strongly on my mind. I didn’t know what to make of it. Was it just a dream expressing my own desires? Or was it God? I decided that, either way, I would soon know. Obviously it wasn’t a prophecy. However, it has served as an illustration for me ever since, because I have never experienced such an intense anticipation and expectancy concerning His Coming. My prayers that day were filled with more longing, confession, and petition than ever before. My speech and actions had an increased holiness. My interactions with others was more purposeful and urgent. I’m not bragging. If anything, I am shaming myself because of my comparative coolness before and after this day. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in; text-size-adjust: auto;">O that we would all be diligent to watch and wait daily for Him! May we look up more. May we be heaven-focused. Fight sin with hope. Biblical hope. Study up on the future. Brush up on your mental image of heaven. Even more, seek the Lord daily and abide with Him. Know Him. Love Him. Walk with Him.</p>Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-45414575628507337762020-09-23T13:42:00.005-07:002020-09-23T13:45:25.568-07:00Bowing Before the Lord of All Creation (Luke 8:22-25)<p>by Pastor Tim Miller </p><p class="MsoNormal">
First Baptist Church of Roxana<br />
Preached September 20, 2020<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Like many kids, I was afraid of storms. Growing up in
Kansas, summers meant that I was always on edge. Clouds would black out the
sky. The wind would blow up to a hundred miles an hour. Lightning would strike,
illuminating everything. Thunder would quickly follow, shaking the house. Rain
would fall in an opaque sheet. Once or twice a month, the tornado sirens would
scream that it was time to seek shelter. Tree limbs would fall. The power would
go out. Even worse than all of this, my dad would listen to the police scanner
at full blast, urgent voices communicating the dangers and calling for
assistance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHJ085wNMMs09ffDS00ZPxhTL6VgMkQrD7kjpCBuExihrCVilbMeScmE06D56rwSyr3TdJlWLDzTw6Y0a1VOgqXM6zas_Sul-V9X_keuY7b2WHi9HxqIzxVFGNHjv1RfRDAn4Cu_E-NLL/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHJ085wNMMs09ffDS00ZPxhTL6VgMkQrD7kjpCBuExihrCVilbMeScmE06D56rwSyr3TdJlWLDzTw6Y0a1VOgqXM6zas_Sul-V9X_keuY7b2WHi9HxqIzxVFGNHjv1RfRDAn4Cu_E-NLL/" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal">How we might wish that we had power over nature. We are in
one of the busiest hurricane seasons recorded. Hurricane Sally made landfall
last Wednesday with 105 mph winds and two feet of rainfall in the first hours.
This isn’t the first and maybe isn’t the last hurricane to hit the Gulf this
year. Meanwhile, fires have been raging all around the West Coast for the past
several weeks. Before that, Southern and Eastern Australia was on fire from
September 2019-March 2020. Parts of India are now on fire. Jakarta, Indonesia
was devastated by floods in January. The Philippines are still reeling from the
eruption of the Taal volcano. 2020 has shaken things up with more than 45
earthquakes of a magnitude of 6 or more. Locust swarms have plagued India and
Egypt and East Africa. Bangladesh saw massive destruction from a cyclone in
May. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That’s a summary list. Add in the Corona Virus that has
swept the globe, and it comes close to apocalyptic.<a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If 2020 has taught me anything, it is that I really don’t
want to be around for the Great Tribulation. I’m sure you agree. Yet it seems
to have had little effect on many people. The typical pattern after a disaster
of some sort has been that people flooded the churches. Though not a natural
disaster, the September 11 bombings 19 years ago brought about a surge in
church attendance, however briefly. So also have devastating storms and
earthquakes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Yet during the abundance of crises during this year,
churches are fighting just to keep their doors open. Some have been so
restricted that they cannot effectively meet together and serve those who need
spiritual help. Some churches have permanently closed their doors because the
funds have not been coming in due to lack of attendance (whether in-person or
online). A Barna poll in May found that more than a third of churchgoers hadn’t
attended a single online service since the beginning of the lockdowns in March.<a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> Now,
many pastors are fearing that much of their congregations will not return once
things return to whatever might pass for normal in the future. Instead of
embracing churches as essential, churches have been shut down while bars and
liquor stores are deemed essential businesses. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Riots have broken out in many places over racial tension.
Dozens of murders happen every week in the big cities. The murder of unborn
babies continues to be celebrated. The sexualization of children is becoming
normalized. Pornography is everywhere.Porn sites receive more regular visitors
than Netflix, Amazon, & Twitter combined each month, and Americans pay more
than $12 billion per year on pornography.<a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Just browse the movies available on Netflix and Amazon Prime
and the other streaming channels. Many of them are just pornography disguised
as TV drama. We are so surrounded by pornographic images that many young people
think that porn is a normal part of life. 64% of 13-24 year old males and
females admit to watching pornography multiple times per week. Their social
media feeds are filled up with it, and they admit to often watching it while
they are at school.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Don’t think that this is contained to the realm of
imagination. The average number of sexual partners among millennials is 10.<a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> In
one of the articles I read, it was stated that the IDEAL number of sexual
partners is 7. That’s what people consider as just the right amount. We haven’t
even started on homosexuality and transgenderism, both of which are becoming
more and more pervasive in our culture. But I think that sufficiently makes the
point that wickedness marks our society. Evil is called good. Good is called
evil. Not even a pandemic or a slew of natural disasters can wake people up to
the imminent danger of the wrath of God. One government leader, a Catholic at
that, said of all these disasters that “Mother earth is angry and she’s telling
us.” Foolishness.<a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In all of this, they forget the One who does control the
weather and who does have power over sickness. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider the text in front of us: <b><i>22 Now on one of
those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let
us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out. 23 But as they
were sailing along He fell asleep; and a fierce gale of wind descended on the
lake, and they began to be swamped and to be in danger. 24 They came to Jesus
and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and
rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.
25 And He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were fearful and amazed,
saying to one another, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and
the water, and they obey Him?”<o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This is one of three
accounts at the end of Luke 8 that demonstrate for us once again the power of
our Lord. <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Previously, we have been shown Jesus’ power over nature,
demons, sickness, and death. Luke shows us these things once again, so that our
fear and amazement toward the Lord Jesus would increase, leading us to fearless
trust of Him in the midst of our circumstances.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consider the Lord Jesus, His humanity on full display in the
exhaustion He was feeling from a full day of teaching in the middle of His
preaching tour through Galilee. Preaching is an exhausting activity. Jesus had
preached for days on end while moving through the countryside. He didn’t have a
microphone, so He had to exert even more energy to be heard by the massive
crowds. Mark tells us in his account of this incident that Jesus had just
finished the parable of the sower and several others. So, consider Him, totally
exhausted from the exertion of preaching to large crowds and teaching His
disciples in private. The only time for Him to rest is on this short trip
across the Sea of Galilee. They were in a rather large sailboat, and as they
were sailing across the water, Jesus fell asleep. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That rather intrigues me. This is the only time that we are
told that Jesus slept. We know He slept. We don’t need this passage to tell us
that. He was human. He got hungry and thirsty and tired. He was so tired, in
fact, that He did something I’m not sure I would ever be able to do. He fell
asleep on the boat. Now, we are talking about Jesus, who, although is fully
human, is also God the Son. He knew that storm was coming. The disciples, many
of them avid sailors, were surprised by this storm. Such squalls come up on
this body of water, even today, that take sailors by surprise. They’re
dangerous storms. Yet, Jesus showed no fear concerning the storm. He lay down
and slept, knowing that His Father would not allow Him to come to harm before
His time and knowing what He was about to do as a demonstration of His awesome
power for His disciples. He could have said, along with the Psalmist, “I lay
down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me” (Psa 3:5). He was in
complete control.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The fierce storm put the boat in danger of being swamped. Amazingly,
not even the water swamping the boat or the wind and waves woke Jesus up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder how long it took for His disciples to
think to wake Him. Did they try to bail out the water? Did they try to weather
the storm for awhile? I also wonder what they thought Jesus was going to do. Obviously,
they didn’t expect this. They probably didn’t know what He was going to do.
They just knew that He could save them. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How about you? In the midst of everything we are facing
today, are you crying out to Him? Having ascended to His Father’s throne, He
never sleeps. He’s not confined to the human body that He still inhabits. I
admit that it is mysterious that He can dwell bodily in Heaven yet be present
everywhere. The problem is, of course, with my ignorance and creatureliness. I
take great comfort that my Christ is bigger than my understanding. How
comforting would a Christ of human comprehension be? I think the disciples on
that day were glad for a bigger Christ than they could comprehend. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As we will continue to find in this chapter, Jesus is
greater than nature. He is greater than the demonic realm. He is greater than
sickness and death. He wouldn’t be much of a savior if He wasn’t greater than
any one of these, would He? Were He too weak to control nature, how could He
cleanse the world with fire and transform it back into paradise? Were He too
weak to control the demonic realm, how could He destroy the works of the devil?
Were He too weak to control sickness and death, how could He reverse the curse?
Do you see how interdependent each of these things are? If you take away just
one of these, it all falls apart. If He could not control the demonic realm,
then He could restore the earth and end the curse, but Satan and his demons would
still be running around. If He could not end the curse, then for what purpose
did He defeat Satan and restore the earth? If He could not restore the earth,
then for what purpose did He defeat the devil and what good is lifting the
curse if we are still living in this world and these bodies that have been
damaged by the curse? Do you see how crucial each of these accounts are? These
aren’t just some cool things that Jesus did! Each one of these miracles
demonstrate that Jesus has total power over each of these things. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpppMdO88JaUoYCI285WFWKzukbUjhB1luTxQAtN393eEQAaTXm0-VSEmYtQaIfpmTAF7zz08Wg4ahc0heqdrsvexCSxBgykeox5pOfa0O3nV2bNGhiOdTLbFyYXex2PV2oIPuhad1yA0/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="500" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpppMdO88JaUoYCI285WFWKzukbUjhB1luTxQAtN393eEQAaTXm0-VSEmYtQaIfpmTAF7zz08Wg4ahc0heqdrsvexCSxBgykeox5pOfa0O3nV2bNGhiOdTLbFyYXex2PV2oIPuhad1yA0/" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Since that is true, then what do we have to worry about in
this life? Don’t mishear me, I’m not telling you to throw caution to the wind.
We know the cautions we must take in the world and at this time. Lock your
doors. Social distance. But we don’t live in fear. In fact, we can live with
such extraordinary joy because of His greatness, even as we sorrow for the
unbelieving world. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Listen to the urgency with which Jesus’ disciples woke Him.
They were crying out, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Maybe someone
listening to this hasn’t heard much about Jesus. Perhaps you’ve heard that
Jesus will forgive your sins but you don’t know the fine points of theology.
The first thing that you need to know is that He is able and willing to forgive
you and grant you eternal life. All you must do is believe and cry out to Him,
“Lord, I am perishing!” He will save you. But it can’t end there. That’s just
the beginning. Next comes a lifetime of discipleship where you do learn the
fine points of theology and worship Him with greater passion each day. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Look at His willingness to come to the help of those who
trust in Him: Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and it was all
instantly calm. All at once the wind stopped. The rain stopped. The waves dissipated.
We might call this an eerie quiet. The sudden silence would be disquieting. But
that’s not what drew their attention. In the sudden stillness, the disciples
were riveted on one thing: Jesus. Just by speaking, He had stopped a storm and
saved their lives. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve said before that we have a tendency to read these
accounts without pausing to consider the magnitude of these things. Forget all
the Sunday school lessons and sermons you have heard on this passage. Hear it
with fresh ears as if for the first time. Jesus spoke and the storm stopped.
When was the last time you saw that happen? Not even an army of modern-day
meteorologists can do that. There are those televangelists who claim to command
the weather. If they could, they would be in high demand during every hurricane
and fire and drought. People do not control the weather! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Later, after Pentecost, the apostles perform amazing
miracles in the name of the Lord Jesus. They healed the sick. They raised the
dead. They cast out demons. But they never controlled the weather. It’s not
like they didn’t have opportunity. Paul was caught in a large storm and
shipwrecked on Malta. But he didn’t presume to command the storm. There’s no
one like the Lord! This is extraordinary! The closest we can come to a parallel
is Elijah who prayed seven times that the Lord would send rain at the end of a three-year
drought sent upon Israel for their idolatry. But that’s a far shot away from
commanding the rain to happen. Jesus spoke and it happened. According to Mark’s
account, Jesus told the storm, “Hush, be still.” And it became perfectly calm. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The disciples were very fearful and amazed. They were
terrified. They didn’t go high-five Jesus. They didn’t make some smart-aleck
remark. They didn’t say, “I’m sure glad that’s over. Nice one Jesus.” They were
shocked and incredulous. After months of ministering alongside Jesus, they were
constantly driven to their knees in fear before Him. Once they got their voices
back, all they could do was ponder Jesus’ being. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">How often do you ponder these things? I emphasize thinking
about these things so much, because (1) theological meditation has been so
downplayed in the last century and (2) we are so distracted and busy. Do you
ponder the being of Jesus? What do I mean by that? Do you contemplate the
mystery that He was God in the form of man? That as a man, He could speak with
all of the creative authority of God in Genesis 1? That He possessed more power
than a great storm? Why do we spend our time thinking about lesser things? 60
years after Jesus ascended, the apostle John wrote that the apostles had
studied Jesus while He was on the earth. They watched Him. They tried to figure
Him out. 60 years later, John was still contemplating the nature of the
Incarnate Son of God. When you read the Scriptures, do they fill you up with
wonder about these things? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It is amazing that Jesus speaks and creation obeys. His word
is authoritative and creative. Hebrews 1:3 says that He upholds all things by
the word of His power. Col 1:17 says that in Him all things are held together.
Those are fantastic statements. What keeps atoms from flying apart? The command
of the Lord. What oversees the laws of nature? The command of the Lord. It is
amazing to think that Mary rocked the Maker and Sustainer of all things to
sleep. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He is all-powerful. Omnipotent. Jesus doesn’t draw out of
some reserve of power that He has at His command. His power is not outside of
Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not something that He
gained. It’s not something that will fizzle out one day. He Himself is eternally
powerful, in and of Himself. He asserts His will, always in perfect unison with
the Father and Spirit, on all creation so that it holds together and works
according to His command. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus spoke, interrupting the normal processes of nature
that would have obliterated the boat, and He input His command, effectively
ending the destructive process of the storm. What power! What authority! Who
could doubt His ability transform the earth, defeat the forces of the devil,
and lift the curse? Who would oppose His eternal reign from the throne of His
ancestor, David? Who would not trust this Savior with their eternal destiny? If
we have trusted Him with our eternal destiny, surely we can trust Him with the
rest of our time on earth. Fear Him, and you have no need to fear anyone or
anything else.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>CONCLUSION – <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jesus’ power is unequaled. It is unrivaled. It is
unopposable. Yet, Psalm 2 tells us of those who would oppose the Father and the
Son. They grapple futilely against the sovereignty of God. God merely laughs,
and He declares that He has set His Son as King upon the great Mount Zion, to
one day rule over the earth forever. If they stopped to consider the magnitude
of power that they are grappling against, they would stop their rebellion and
bow to Him. In fact, the psalm closes with a call for the nations to repent. It
is a call that is timely for our day. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i>Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take
warning, O judges of the earth. 11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Worship the Lord with reverence And rejoice with trembling. 12 Do homage
to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath
may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! <o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Those who oppose Him will be swept away in the day of His
great wrath when He is (1 Thess 1:7) “<b><i>revealed from heaven with His
mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not
know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These
will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord
and from the glory of His power.” <o:p></o:p></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But all of those who put their trust in Him will be saved.<o:p></o:p></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Kamiya Jani, “</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-themecolor: text1;">10 Natural Disasters
That Have Already Happened In Just 5 Months Of 2020,” Curly Tales, </span><a href="https://curlytales.com/9-natural-disasters-that-have-already-happened-in-just-5-months-of-2020/#:~:text=%2010%20Natural%20Disasters%20That%20Have%20Already%20Happened,Coronavirus.%20While%20the%20first%20outbreak%20was...%20More%20"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://curlytales.com/9-natural-disasters-that-have-already-happened-in-just-5-months-of-2020/#:~:text=%2010%20Natural%20Disasters%20That%20Have%20Already%20Happened,Coronavirus.%20While%20the%20first%20outbreak%20was...%20More%20</span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> (accessed September 16, 2020).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> “The New Sunday Morning (Part 2),”
Barna, </span><a href="https://www.barna.com/research/new-sunday-morning-part-2/"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.barna.com/research/new-sunday-morning-part-2/</span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> (accessed September 16, 2020).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> “</span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">20 Mind-Blowing Stats About the Porn
Industry and Its Underage Consumers,” Fight the New Drug, </span><a href="https://fightthenewdrug.org/10-porn-stats-that-will-blow-your-mind/"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://fightthenewdrug.org/10-porn-stats-that-will-blow-your-mind/</span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> (accessed September 16, 2020).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> “Honest Stats on the Average Number
of Sexual Partners,” </span><a href="https://2date4love.com/average-number-of-sexual-partners/"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://2date4love.com/average-number-of-sexual-partners/</span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(accessed September 16, 2020).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/FBC%20Roxana/Dropbox/Exposition%20and%20Exegetical%20Notes/42%20Luke/Luke%208.22-30.docx#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: HE; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> Ian Schwartz, “Pelosi: Mother Earth
is Angry and She’s Telling Us,” Real Clear Politics, September 11, 2020, </span><a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/09/11/pelosi_mother_earth_is_angry_and_shes_telling_us.html"><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2020/09/11/pelosi_mother_earth_is_angry_and_shes_telling_us.html</span></a><span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;"> (accessed September 16, 2020).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-31578119581034156912020-01-13T10:46:00.002-08:002020-01-13T11:18:21.200-08:00Podcast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="432" id="multi_iframe" scrolling="no" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/multi?playlist=http%3A%2F%2Fplaylist.podbean.com%2F7117716%2Fplaylist_multi.xml&vjs=1&kdsowie31j4k1jlf913=56c9ac34e3ec44f83072b7648b7f60368d295ae8&size=430&skin=&episode_list_bg=%23ffffff&bg_left=%23000000&bg_mid=%230c5056&bg_right=%232a1844&podcast_title_color=%23c4c4c4&episode_title_color=%23ffffff&auto=0&download=1&show_playlist_recent_number=10&pbad=1" title="LetUsConsider" width="100%"></iframe>Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-65477320158089518372019-12-18T10:32:00.001-08:002019-12-18T10:32:24.828-08:00Exodus 7 – The Rivalry Begins<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
continues to be a wonderful task to exposit the Old Testament. I preached
through the book of Exodus in the second half of 2018 verse by verse and
paragraph by paragraph. We left no word unread and did not skip the exposition
of any section. It is a wonderful exercise for myself to go back now, chapter
by chapter, and review the wonderful truth of this book. I pray that it is as
beneficial for you, the reader, as it has been for me. More resources can be
found at </span></i><i><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/">www.fbcroxana.com</a></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God desires all the peoples of earth
to fear His name and assign Him the glory that is due Him. Yet the nations
continually turn away from Him. Through the Exodus of His chosen people, Israel,
all the nations would hear and tremble before Him. Whether they worshipped Him
and submitted to His sovereignty or rejected Him and hardened their hearts, they
would still hear of Him, that by His mighty hand He had brought them out of
Egypt, the most powerful nation on earth. In the same way, God would make Israel
see that He is the only God, triumphing over Pharaoh and all the gods of Egypt.
Finally, it is a lesson to us that God is able to do far above what we can
imagine. So how could we ever doubt that He is near and willing to act on our
behalf?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I
make you as God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. <sup>2</sup>
You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to
Pharaoh that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land. <sup>3</sup> But I
will harden Pharaoh’s heart that I may multiply My signs and My wonders in the
land of Egypt. <sup>4</sup> When Pharaoh does not listen to you, then I will
lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My hosts, My people the sons of Israel, from
the land of Egypt by great judgments. <sup>5</sup> The Egyptians shall know
that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons
of Israel from their midst.” <sup>6</sup> So Moses and Aaron did it; as the LORD
commanded them, thus they did. <sup>7</sup> Moses was eighty years old and
Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On one hand, God was commanding
Pharaoh through Moses and Aaron to let the people go. On the other hand, He was
hardening Pharaoh’s heart so that he would disobey. The reason for this
apparent contradiction in the will of God is that God’s intention to multiply
His signs and wonders would be fulfilled. In this way, He would demonstrate His
sovereignty as He would bring Egypt to its knees before Him in defeat and the
Israelites would be let go. God’s intention was that the Egyptians would know
that He is the LORD through these powerful acts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">8</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron,
saying, <sup>9</sup> “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Work a miracle,’
then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,
that it may become a serpent.’” <sup>10</sup> So Moses and Aaron came to
Pharaoh, and thus they did just as the LORD had commanded; and Aaron threw his
staff down before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. <sup>11</sup>
Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the
magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. <sup>12</sup> For each
one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff
swallowed up their staffs. <sup>13</sup> Yet Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and
he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">However the magicians were able to
mimic the sign, their conjurings were obviously inferior to Aaron’s God-given
sign. Yet it was enough to convince Pharaoh that the power behind Moses and
Aaron was not as unique and powerful as they were asking him to believe. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now it was time for God’s wonders to
be shown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">14</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then the LORD said to Moses,
“Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. <sup>15</sup> Go
to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself
to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff
that was turned into a serpent. <sup>16</sup> You shall say to him, ‘The LORD,
the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they
may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.” <sup>17</sup>
Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will
strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it
will be turned to blood. <sup>18</sup> The fish that are in the Nile will die,
and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in
drinking water from the Nile.”’” <sup>19</sup> Then the LORD said to Moses,
“Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of
Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over
all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be
blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels
of stone.’”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just as in creation, God spoke what
was going to happen. This time, He did it through His prophet Moses and Moses’
spokesperson, Aaron. Essentially, this was God’s pronouncement of looming
uncreation. The water in the Nile River, essential to all parts of life in
Egypt was going to become as blood. This was likely the Egyptian term used for
an algae bloom. It would be widespread, affecting every bit of water in the
land. It would cause the fish, a primary source of food, to die. And the land
would stink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So Moses and Aaron did even as the LORD
had commanded. And he lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the
Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the
water that was in the Nile was turned to blood. <sup>21</sup> The fish that
were in the Nile died, and the Nile became foul, so that the Egyptians could
not drink water from the Nile. And the blood was through all the land of Egypt.
<sup>22</sup> But the magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts;
and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD
had said. <sup>23</sup> Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house with no
concern even for this. <sup>24</sup> So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile
for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. <sup>25</sup>
Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Everything happened just as the LORD
said that it would happen. As soon as Moses spoke and Aaron struck the water,
the water turned into blood. Yet the LORD was merciful, allowing the Egyptians
to find drinkable water around the Nile that had been filtered by the dirt.
This went on for a week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Egyptians thought that they could
go toe-to-toe with the LORD of heaven and earth. They thought He was but a
small deity, made in the likeness of men. Over the next weeks, they would come
to understand His power, and they would start to tremble before Him and glorify
His name. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One day all people will tremble
before God as He unleashes judgments upon the world. In Revelation 16, the third
bowl of wrath is poured out, and the rivers and springs become blood. Then all
the angels begin exclaiming in amazement at the just judgment of God. How much
better it will be for those who believe now. Christ will gather us to Himself,
so that we will be kept from the hour of judgment (Rev 3:10).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-46050631213748408822019-12-17T08:42:00.003-08:002019-12-17T08:44:34.307-08:00Exodus 6 - God's Charge to Moses<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
continues to be a wonderful task to exposit the Old Testament. I preached
through the book of Exodus in the second half of 2018 verse by verse and
paragraph by paragraph. We left no word unread and did not skip the exposition
of any section. It is a wonderful exercise for myself to go back now, chapter
by chapter, and review the wonderful truth of this book. I pray that it is as
beneficial for you, the reader, as it has been for me. More resources can be
found at </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/">www.fbcroxana.com</a></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you
shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go,
and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses thought that God had failed.
But the LORD had desired Pharaoh to refuse to let the people of Israel go. So
now God would begin to show His wonders in the land of Egypt so that Pharaoh
would let the people go and all the people of Egypt and Israel would know that
the LORD alone is God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> God spoke further to Moses and said
to him, “I am the LORD; <sup>3</sup> and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to
them. <sup>4</sup> I also established My covenant with them, to give them the
land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. <sup>5</sup> Furthermore I
have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are
holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. <sup>6</sup> Say,
therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from
under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage.
I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. <sup>7</sup>
Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know
that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the
Egyptians. <sup>8</sup> I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am the
LORD.’” <sup>9</sup> So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not
listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here is an exposition on the name of
God. The LORD gave the people two reminders of the past: God had revealed
Himself as God Almighty to the Patriarchs and had made a covenant with them to
give the land of Canaan to them. He assured them that, in the present, He had
heard the groanings of Israel because of their affliction and remembered His
covenant with them. There are seven promises of God to the Israelite people in
this passage which God was communicating to the people through Moses. First, He
promised to bring them out of Egypt. Second, He promised to break the bonds of
their slavery. Third, He promised to redeem them with great and powerful
judgments. Fourth, He promised to make the people of Israel His people. Fifth,
He promised to be their God. Sixth, He promised to give them the land which He
promised their fathers. Seventh, He promised that it would be their possession.
All of these past, present, and future declarations are tied together with one
repeated statement: I am Yahweh. He is eternal, faithful, and powerful to bring
it all to pass. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
<sup>11</sup> “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out
of his land.” <sup>12</sup> But Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “Behold,
the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me,
for I am unskilled in speech?” <sup>13</sup> Then the LORD spoke to Moses and
to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the sons of Israel and to Pharaoh king of
Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses went and spoke God’s
self-revelation to the people of Israel, but they did not believe him. How slow
are people to believe all that God has promised? Their harsh treatment was
keeping them from believing. So Moses despaired that Pharaoh would listen to
him if his own people would not. But God charged him to go. He had to believe
that it was God who would bring about His will.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are finally introduced to Moses
and Aaron on a genealogical level. This genealogy reminds us of the place of
Levi as the third born of Israel’s household, being the younger brother of
Reuben and Simeon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">14</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> These are the heads of their fathers’
households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron
and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. <sup>15</sup> The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite
woman; these are the families of Simeon. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Finally, Levi’s family is more
fleshed out so that we are introduced to the main players in this story. The
three sons of Levi:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> These are the names of the sons of
Levi according to their generations: Gershon and Kohath and Merari; and the
length of Levi’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The grandsons of Levi through
Gershon: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">17</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The sons of Gershon: Libni and
Shimei, according to their families. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The grandsons of Levi through Kohath:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">18</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar
and Hebron and Uzziel; and the length of Kohath’s life was one hundred and
thirty-three years. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The grandsons of Levi through Merari:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">19</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi.
These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. <sup>20</sup>
Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses;
and the length of Amram’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So Moses and Aaron were from the
tribe of Levi and the family of Kohath. The genealogy continues with the
grandsons of Kohath, Levi’s great-grandsons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The grandsons of Kohath through Izhar:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">21</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The sons of Izhar: Korah and Nepheg
and Zichri. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The grandsons of Kohath through
Uzziel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">22</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The sons of Uzziel: Mishael and
Elzaphan and Sithri. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The great-grandsons of Kohath through
Aaron, Amram’s son. This would become the line of the priests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">23</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter
of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar
and Ithamar. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The great-grandsons of Kohath through
Korah, son of Izhar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">24</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The sons of Korah: Assir and Elkanah
and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A notable person from the fifth
generation after Levi was Phinehas, grandson of Aaron.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">25</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of
the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This list gives us the genealogical
makeup of Moses and Aaron. They were not prominent within the line of Levi.
Though four hundred thirty years had passed, they were great grandsons of the
patriarch. They were the sixth generation after Abraham.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These are the heads of the fathers’
households of the Levites according to their families. <sup>26</sup> It was the
same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring out the sons of Israel from
the land of Egypt according to their hosts.” <sup>27</sup> They were the ones
who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the sons of Israel from
Egypt; it was the same Moses and Aaron.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They were of the household of Israel.
They were not prominent members within the nation. But God had called them and
had charged them with proclaiming His message.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">28</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now it came about on the day when
the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, <sup>29</sup> that the LORD spoke
to Moses, saying, “I am the LORD; speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I
speak to you.” <sup>30</sup> But Moses said before the LORD, “Behold, I am
unskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So God was dealing with an unwilling
prophet who was afraid his rhetoric would not move the king of Egypt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We can all identify with Moses. God
often calls us to do things that we do not feel qualified to do. We might fight
against it. We might argue with Him. But He calls us according to His purpose
and His wisdom. How could we think for a moment that we know better than God? Just
like Moses, God has called us to proclaim deliverance and redemption. The
redemption we proclaim is not from slavery in Egypt but from slavery in sin. We
proclaim to all the world that God sent His Son, Jesus, a greater deliverer
than Moses, so that all who believe will be delivered from slavery to sin
because of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, the forgiveness of sins. He
bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might be given eternal life
through Him. Therefore, we call all to repent and believe in Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, who takes away the sins of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-16218502329424269682019-12-16T08:45:00.001-08:002019-12-16T08:45:24.970-08:00Exodus 5 – Pharaoh’s Refusal<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
continues to be a wonderful task to exposit the Old Testament. I preached
through the book of Exodus in the second half of 2018 verse by verse and
paragraph by paragraph. We left no word unread and did not skip the exposition
of any section. It is a wonderful exercise for myself to go back now, chapter
by chapter, and review the wonderful truth of this book. I pray that it is as
beneficial for you, the reader, as it has been for me. More resources can be
found at </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/">www.fbcroxana.com</a></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God commissioned Moses to deliver the
people of Israel from Egypt. It would not be a simple matter of simply asking
the Pharaoh to release the people and him doing it. The LORD told Moses that
Pharaoh would refuse and harden his heart. Pharaoh would not recognize the LORD’s
sovereignty and dominion until God caused all His wonders to occur. The people
of Israel had met with Moses and believed that He and Aaron had been sent to
free them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And afterward Moses and Aaron came
and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go
that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” <sup>2</sup> But
Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I
do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pharaoh did not recognize the LORD as
authoritative. So Moses and Aaron’s prophetic announcement to Pharaoh from the
LORD carried no weight. He refused to release Israel to give them three days to
worship the LORD. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then they said, “The God of the
Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the
wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will fall
upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” <sup>4</sup> But the king of Egypt
said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their
work? Get back to your labors!” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He was even unwilling to let them go
when they expected doom from disobedience. Pharaoh saw this only as a ploy for
the people to slack off from their work. So he made their work harder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the
people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their
labors!” <sup>6</sup> So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over
the people and their foremen, saying, <sup>7</sup> “You are no longer to give
the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for
themselves. <sup>8</sup> But the quota of bricks which they were making
previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because
they are lazy, therefore they cry out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ <sup>9</sup>
Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will
pay no attention to false words.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These restrictions were irrational.
They were meant to deliver a pointed message to the Israelite people: there was
to be no more talk of the LORD. Pharaoh wanted the people to work and be deaf
to what Moses and Aaron were saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So the taskmasters of the people and
their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I
am not going to give you any straw. <sup>11</sup> You go and get straw for
yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.’” <sup>12</sup>
So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for
straw. <sup>13</sup> The taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your work
quota, your daily amount, just as when you had straw.” <sup>14</sup> Moreover,
the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over
them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not completed your required
amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then the foremen of the sons of
Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with
your servants? <sup>16</sup> There is no straw given to your servants, yet they
keep saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are being beaten;
but it is the fault of your own people.” <sup>17</sup> But he said, “You are
lazy, very lazy; therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ <sup>18</sup>
So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the
quota of bricks.” <sup>19</sup> The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they
were in trouble because they were told, “You must not reduce your daily amount
of bricks.” <sup>20</sup> When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they met Moses and
Aaron as they were waiting for them. <sup>21</sup> They said to them, “May the LORD
look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and
in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pharaoh’s plan worked. The people of
Israel turned against Moses and Aaron because of the consequences that their
preaching had brought upon them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">22</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then Moses returned to the LORD and
said, “O LORD, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send
me? <sup>23</sup> Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has
done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses lamented that he had listened
to the LORD to speak in His name. He blamed the LORD for sending him to bring
harm on the people, failing to deliver them a single bit. But he should have
remembered that the LORD had said that it would not be easy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Through Pharaoh’s persistent refusal
to release the people, God would perform several wonders. These wonders would
show the Israelites, the Egyptians, and all the nations of the earth that
Yahweh alone is God. The LORD was about to take on the most powerful nation of
the ancient world. He would show Himself superior to their gods and to their
Pharaoh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-55607099408800476472019-12-14T17:49:00.001-08:002019-12-14T17:49:55.421-08:004 REASONS GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">Psalm 33</span></b></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">Introduction</span></u></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;"> – Call to Worship<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sing for joy in the Lord, O you
righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Give
thanks to the Lord with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten
strings.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sing
to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1-3</span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
Summary:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The
psalmist calls for the righteous ones to sing for joy and give thanks to the
LORD with old and new songs, skillfully employing various musical instruments,
because it is becoming to the upright to praise the LORD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1-3 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Theology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> God desires His righteous ones to
sing for joy and give thanks to Him with old and new songs, skillfully
employing various musical instruments, because it is becoming to the upright to
praise the LORD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1-3 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Application:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Let us sing for joy and give thanks
to Him with old and new songs, skillfully employing various musical
instruments, because it is becoming for us to praise the LORD who has made us
upright in His sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">PROPOSITION</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> – 4 summary statements encapsulating why God is worthy,
further explained by the psalm, so that we will expectantly hope in His
lovingkindness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
the word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the
Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4-5 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Summary:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The psalmist follows the call to
worship with four statements that are further expounded in the psalm: the Lord’s
word is upright, the Lord’s works are faithful, the Lord’s delight is righteousness,
and the Lord’s love is abundant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4-5 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Theology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> God desires His people to know that
His word is upright, His works are faithful, His delight is righteousness, and His
love is abundant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4-5 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Application:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Let us meditate much on these four
statements, so that we will live according to God’s upright word, trusting His
faithful works, walking to delight the Lord, and rejoicing in His abundant love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">I. The LORD’s Word is Upright (cf.
v. 4a)<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all
their host.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">7</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He lays up the deeps in storehouses.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">8</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let
all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe
of Him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">9</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6-9 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Summary:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The psalmist explains
that the Lord made the heavens and all their hosts by breathing out His word.
The Lord gathered the waters together in a heap and laid up the depths of the
oceans in storehouses. The psalmist exhorts all the earth to fear the Lord and
stand in awe of Him, because He accomplished all things and uphold them by His
command.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6-9 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Theology:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God made the heavens
and their host by the word of His mouth, gathered the waters together and laid
up the deeps in storehouses; so all the inhabitants of the earth should fear
the Lord and stand in awe of Him since by His Word He both accomplished
creation and upholds it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6-9 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Application:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let us fear the Lord
and stand in awe of Him (Prov 1:7), rendering praise to the One who created all
things in heaven and on earth and upholds them by the word of His mouth. Let us
present this God to all people that they would fear Him and stand in awe of
Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">II. The LORD’s Works are Faithful
(cf. v. 4b)<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the
peoples.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">11</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to
generation.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">12</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Blessed
is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own
inheritance.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10-12 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Summary:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The psalmist says
that the Lord brings the counsel of the nations and peoples to naught (cf. Psa
2:1), but His own plans stand firm throughout the generations. Thus, the
psalmist writes that the nation, the people whom He has chosen for His own
inheritance, whose God is the Lord is blessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10-12 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Theology:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God brings the counsel
of nations and peoples to naught, but His own plans stand firm forever; thus
the chosen nation, whose God is the Lord, is blessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10-12 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Application:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How wonderful it is
that God’s counsel cannot be frustrated by the nations, so we, His chosen
nation (1 Pet 2:9) are blessed since all His plans toward us will never fail or
be frustrated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">III. The LORD’s Delight is
Righteousness (cf. v. 5a)<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">14<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From His dwelling place He looks out On
all the inhabitants of the earth,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13-15 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Summary:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The psalmist says
that God, who fashions men’s hearts and understands all their works, looks down
from His dwelling place upon all the sons of men who inhabit the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13-15 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Theology:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God fashioned men’s
hearts, so He understands all their works; and He looks down from His dwelling
place upon all the sons of men who inhabit the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13-15 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Application:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let us walk in
righteousness with a glad heart, so that God will be pleased. Let us proclaim
this God who knows every secret of every heart, and who will justly reward each
according to his works. Let us exhort them to put on the righteousness of
Christ which is reckoned by faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">IV. The LORD’s Love is Abundant (cf.
v. 5b)<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great
strength.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">17</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great
strength.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">18</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Behold,
the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His
lovingkindness,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">19</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To deliver their soul from death And to keep
them alive in famine.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16-19 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Summary:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The psalmist writes
that a mighty army does not guarantee the success of the king, nor does great strength
always deliver the warrior. A horse does not guarantee victory or deliverance.
In fact, all of these are vain objects to place one’s trust in, because the
Lord delivers those who fear Him and hope for His lovingkindness so that they
will be kept from death and famine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16-19 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Theology:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God alone is the
sure object of one’s faith who will safeguard him from death and woes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16-19 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Application:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let us trust in God
alone to keep us safe from death and destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; text-transform: uppercase;">Conclusion – The Response of the
LORD’s People<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our
soul waits for the Lord; <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He is our help and
our shield.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">21</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">22</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Let
Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20-22 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Summary:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The psalmist writes
the souls of the righteous ones wait for the Lord, because He is their help and
shield. He says that their heart rejoice in the Lord, because they trust in His
holy name. He ends with a prayer that the Lord would put His lovingkindness
upon them according as they had hoped in Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20-22</span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Theology:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God is the help and
shield of the righteous ones, so that all they must do is wait for Him with
rejoicing hearts that trust in Him, awaiting His lovingkindness which will come
as expected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20-22 </span></sup></b><b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Application:
</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let us wait for the
Lord, our help and shield, with rejoicing hearts that trust in Him. Let us
await His lovingkindness that will come just as He promises. For this reason,
even during affliction and tribulations, we can exalt in God and sing praises
to Him with thankfulness. As we do so, we assure ourselves even more that His
Word is upright, His words are faithful, His delight is righteousness, and His
love is abundant. May we return to this again and again so that when sorrows
come, we will know to run to the LORD, our help and our shield. As we lean on
Him and crouch under His protection, may we walk in a manner befitting those saved
by the grace of God and being transformed into His image. Let us rejoice that
we are the inheritance of the Lord that is precious in His sight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-3738241495483700272019-12-13T08:34:00.002-08:002019-12-13T08:35:43.696-08:00Exodus 4 – Moses’ Commissioning<img alt="body of water during golden hour" height="426" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1555320667-c1391cbb15b1?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
continues to be a wonderful task to exposit the Old Testament. I preached
through the book of Exodus in the second half of 2018 verse by verse and
paragraph by paragraph. We left no word unread and did not skip the exposition
of any section. It is a wonderful exercise for myself to go back now, chapter
by chapter, and review the wonderful truth of this book. I pray that it is as
beneficial for you, the reader, as it has been for me. More resources can be
found at </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/">www.fbcroxana.com</a></span></i><i><u><span style="color: #0563c1; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 105%;">God continued to speak to Moses from the burning bush. Moses was afraid
to confront the people and to take on Pharaoh, but God would not be swayed. His
choice of Moses would stand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then Moses said, “What if they will
not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not
appeared to you.’” <sup>2</sup> The LORD said to him, “What is that in your
hand?” And he said, “A staff.” <sup>3</sup> Then He said, “Throw it on the
ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled
from it. <sup>4</sup> But the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and
grasp it by its tail”—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became
a staff in his hand— <sup>5</sup> “that they may believe that the LORD, the God
of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
has appeared to you.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God gave this sign to Moses to
convince the people of Israel that He had indeed sent Moses to them. This sign
demonstrates God’s power over the creation. If He can turn an ordinary stick
into a fierce serpent and back again, then surely He can rescue Israel out of
Pharaoh’s hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There was yet a second sign to the
people of Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The LORD furthermore said to him,
“Now put your hand into your bosom.” So he put his hand into his bosom, and
when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. <sup>7</sup> Then
He said, “Put your hand into your bosom again.” So he put his hand into his
bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like
the rest of his flesh. <sup>8</sup> “If they will not believe you or heed the
witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness of the last sign. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this way, Moses would attest to
God’s power over creation. He is able to bring about leprosy as well as restore
health. Thus, God displayed sovereignty over two of the most fearsome aspects
of life in Egypt: snakes and leprosy. He is indeed the God who created it all,
and all of it is under His power and authority. Yet the people of Israel (and
certainly the Egyptians) would not be satisfied with these things. They were going
to require more proof because of their lack of belief. So God would be
glorified in all the wonders that He would perform in the midst of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">9</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> But if they will not believe even
these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the
Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile
will become blood on the dry ground.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This would begin the plagues on Egypt
that would bring Egypt to its knees. Armed with these signs, Moses should have
been confident that God was with him. If God intended to use him to bring
Israel out of Egypt, then Moses should have understood that He was able to do
so. Now the crux of the matter is revealed: Moses is not willing to go.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then Moses said to the LORD, “Please,
LORD, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since
You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” <sup>11</sup>
The LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf,
or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? <sup>12</sup> Now then go, and I,
even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” <sup>13</sup>
But he said, “Please, LORD, now send the message by whomever You will.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses flat out refused the calling of
God. But God is not one to be resisted. Moses should not have been worried
about his oratorical skill, but his obedience to the word of God. He should
have known that God would use him according to His will to bring about that
which He intended.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">14</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then the anger of the LORD burned
against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know
that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you;
when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. <sup>15</sup> You are to speak
to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth
and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. <sup>16</sup> Moreover,
he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you
will be as God to him. <sup>17</sup> You shall take in your hand this staff,
with which you shall perform the signs.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this way, Moses would still be in
the lead, but he would not have to speak before Pharaoh. Aaron would be the
prophet of Moses, the prophet of God. This is an excellent description of a prophet:
one who speaks those words which they are taught by another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">18</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then Moses departed and returned to
Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please, let me go, that I may return
to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.” And Jethro
said to Moses, “Go in peace.” <sup>19</sup> Now the LORD said to Moses in
Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are
dead.” <sup>20</sup> So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a
donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in
his hand.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Despite his unwillingness, Moses
obeyed the command of God to go. It is interesting that he did not tell Jethro,
his father-in-law, the entire purpose of his departure. But in his request of
Jethro, he makes clear that he identifies with the household of Israel. So
Moses took his family and headed for the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">21</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The LORD said to Moses, “When you go
back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have
put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the
people go. <sup>22</sup> Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD,
“Israel is My son, My firstborn. <sup>23</sup> So I said to you, ‘Let My son go
that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill
your son, your firstborn.”’”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So that Moses would not be surprised
by the ordeal that lay ahead, God told him that Pharaoh’s heart would be
hardened. God would do this hardening, causing Pharaoh to refuse to the let the
people go. Then God would demonstrate His love for Israel as His firstborn son
by taking the life of Pharaoh’s firstborn son as a just trade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A strange incident occurred on the
way to Egypt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">24</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now it came about at the lodging
place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. <sup>25</sup>
Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at
Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” <sup>26</sup>
So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of
blood”—because of the circumcision.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This passage brings up many
questions, but the main point seems to be that Moses had not circumcised his
son. As a preacher who would demand faithfulness to God’s covenant, he needed
to get his own house in order. So God met him along the way in the wilderness
in order to correct this. As soon as Zipporah circumcised their son, God
relented. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">27</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now the LORD said to Aaron, “Go to
meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God
and kissed him. <sup>28</sup> Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with
which He had sent him, and all the signs that He had commanded him to do. <sup>29</sup>
Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel; <sup>30</sup>
and Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. He then
performed the signs in the sight of the people. <sup>31</sup> So the people
believed; and when they heard that the LORD was concerned about the sons of
Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and
worshiped.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The people were initially convinced
that the LORD had sent Moses and Aaron to deliver them out of Egypt. They
rejoiced that the LORD had seen their affliction and was concerned for them.
The signs convinced them that God’s power was more than sufficient to deliver
them from Pharaoh. Despite this, their faith would be tested through the
ordeals of the next several chapters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-39690438675660260612019-12-13T07:19:00.003-08:002019-12-13T07:19:56.563-08:00To the Church of Laodicea: Repent and Be Zealous (Rev 3:14-22)<br />
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<img alt="clouds above mountains during golden hour" height="347" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454649978226-6dd578c28449?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b>
<i>What makes the seven letters to the churches special is that they were dictated by the Lord Jesus Himself. It was a privilege to preach through all seven letters from October 27-December 8, 2019. What I have attempted to do here is not a formal exposition of the text. I have tried to simply summarize the text, its theology, and its application as an aid to study and meditation. I pray that you, dear reader, find it helpful as you ponder the text.</i><br />
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<b>Revelation 3:14 - <i>“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:”</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus told John to write to the messenger of the church in Laodicea and tell them that this message is sent by the veritable, faithful, and true witness, who is the source of the creation of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus is identified as the Amen (the one who is true and who speaks the truth), the faithful and true witness (who cannot falsify His findings), and the beginner of the creation of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> We must humbly submit to Jesus our Lord, because what He says is true and will come to pass; and He has every right to bring what He declares to pass since He is the source of all creation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:15 -</b> <b><i>‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus begins by telling the Laodiceans that He is very much aware of the tepid nature of their deeds, using vivid local imagery of the tepid and unpalatable water in Laodicea; and he rebukes them for being lukewarm instead of cold (honest in their unbelief) or hot (true in their service to Him).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus does not desire that people claim to be believers and go through the motions of religion when they are not truly saved. He would rather them be honest in their unbelief or true in their service to Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>We must search our own hearts and minds and examine our own deeds to be sure that we are in the faith. Let us not be cold and unbelieving, either. But let us be zealous for Christ. Our worship must never be compulsory or coldly ritualistic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:16 - <i>So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus warns the Laodiceans that He will not endure them. They make Him sick, so He will vomit them out of His mouth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus does not endure religious people with no conviction for the truth but will put an end to them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us be convicted of the truth, firm in our belief, so that Jesus will not be made sick by us. We must be careful in our worship services not to make lukewarm people comfortable but convict them with the truth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:17 –</b> <b><i>“Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,</i></b>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the Laodiceans that they have no inkling of their true spiritual condition. They suppose themselves to be rich, having become wealthy and in need of nothing because of their material prosperity but they did not know that they were spiritually wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Believers must be careful of material wealth, because it is easy for that to lead to a lack of dependence on God for true spiritual riches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> We must be on guard because of the wealth that we share in because of the prosperity of our culture. Our hearts must not be set on our wealth, but we must depend wholly on God who supplies all things.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:18 –</b> “<b><i>I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.</i></b>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus counsels the Laodiceans to purchase (an ironic statement that points out the futility of their riches since they cannot buy salvation) the true gold of salvation, the white garments of righteousness, and the eye salve that would open their spiritually blind eyes. He plays on the familiar items that brought Laodicean wealth, black wool for mass-produced garments and eye salve to treat irritated eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Salvation is not acquired by money, but it given as a gift to those who believe; for it is more costly than gold, whiter than any manmade garments, and more potent than any human medication. Only God-given salvation makes one truly rich, clothes one in righteousness, and opens blind eyes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us remind ourselves of the futility of wealth, and the dependence that we have on God. We know that our wealth cannot save us but let us live according to that knowledge.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:19 –</b> <b><i>“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.</i></b>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the Laodiceans that He has a love for them despite their unregenerate nature, and He reproves and disciplines so that they will become hot and repent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus has a love for all people, not wishing for any to perish but to be zealous and repent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us imitate Jesus’ tenderness toward all people, calling them to be zealous and repent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:20 – <i>“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus informs the Laodiceans that though He is no longer inside the church due to its apostate condition, He has been standing at the door and knocking. He tells them that if anyone person were to hear His voice calling from outside the door and open it to Him, He would come back into the church and fellowship with that person.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus is not present among the unregenerate church meetings, yet He stands at the door, calling to be let in so that those who become hot and repent will have true fellowship with Him and He will come back into the church, though largely unregenerate, through that one person.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us pray that the unregenerate churches will hear Christ’s Word and be zealous and repent so that He will again be present in them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:21 –</b> <b><i>“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus promised the overcomer that He would grant him to sit on His throne in the same manner as He is sitting now with His Father because He Himself overcame.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus will grant true believers to sit down with Him on His throne in the same way as He, overcoming, sat down with His Father on His throne.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us prove ourselves zealous and repenting, with Jesus in our midst approving of us, so that in His Kingdom, we will sit with Him on His throne.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:22 – <i>“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus calls on all believers everywhere and throughout time to pay attention to what the Spirit is telling the churches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> The Spirit is speaking to the churches through these letters, and believers would do well to heed His words.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us consider these words closely, seeking the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to understand the message in these letters as it applies to us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-22042912204952056852019-12-13T07:19:00.002-08:002019-12-13T07:19:35.465-08:00To the Church of Philadelphia: Endure (Rev 3:7-13)<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="clouds above mountains during golden hour" height="347" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454649978226-6dd578c28449?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<i>What makes the seven letters to the churches special is that they were dictated by the Lord Jesus Himself. It was a privilege to preach through all seven letters from October 27-December 8, 2019. What I have attempted to do here is not a formal exposition of the text. I have tried to simply summarize the text, its theology, and its application as an aid to study and meditation. I pray that you, dear reader, find it helpful as you ponder the text.</i><br />
<br /></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:7 - <i>“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells John the apostle to write to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, and identify Him as the one who is holy and true, who possesses the key of David so that what He opens cannot be shut and what He shuts cannot be opened.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus is the holy and true one (a name used for both Messiah and God), and He possesses the key of David (governmental authority [cf. Isa 22:22-23]) so that no one can thwart His actions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us worship Jesus, the holy and true one, who holds the key of David and cannot be overpowered. Let us rejoice that His plans cannot be thwarted. Let us bow to Him who rules forever and ever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:8 –<i> “‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus comforts the church in Philadelphia by telling that that He knows their deeds, and thus He has put an open door before them that cannot be shut (cf. Rev 4:1). They were a small church, but they had kept His word and had not denied His name.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus knows about the little churches and is pleased when they keep His word and do not deny His name. He sets before the faithful believers and open door of upward call in Christ Jesus at the Rapture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us rejoice, though we may be small in size, because the Lord knows and cares for us. Let us keep His Word and not deny His name, no matter what comes. Let us be faithful, knowing that we will receive the upward call of Christ Jesus through the door that is open for us in heaven.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:9 – “<i>Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the church in Philadelphia that He will cause those people that belong to the synagogue of Satan (who claim to be Jews but were lying since they were not really Jews) to come and bow down at their feet and force them to know that He loves the church.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus will bring those who persecute the church to bow down at the feet of believers so that they will know that they are truly His church.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us endure persecution, knowing that Jesus will overcome our enemies and put them in subjection under our feet (cf. Psa 110:1).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:10 – “<i>Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the church of Philadelphia that He will keep them from the hour of testing (which is soon to come upon the whole world for the purpose of testing those who dwell on the earth) since they have kept the word of His perseverance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus will keep from the great tribulation those who persevere to the end. He will send the great tribulation upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth that they might repent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us be faithful to the end so that we will not experience the great tribulation which will soon come upon the world. Let us constantly remind people that this hour is coming and that there is but one Ark to escape the judgment: the holy and true one, Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:11 – “<i>I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the church of Philadelphia that He is coming soon, and He exhorts them to hold fast to what they have so that no one will steal away their crown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Let us hold fast to our confession, lest anyone rob us the life we were promised. May it be ever on our minds that Christ may return at any moment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:12 – “<i>He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the church of Philadelphia that those who overcome will be made pillars in the temple of God (not going out from it anymore) and will have the name of God and the new Jerusalem, and Christ’s new name written on them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus will make true believers pillars in the temple of God so that they will never leave it (they will dwell in its midst). He will also write the name of God and the new Jerusalem and His own new name on them so that it will forevermore be obvious whom they belong to.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us rejoice that Christ will name us as His own people and will write upon us His name and the name of God and of the New Jerusalem during eternity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:13 – “<i>He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus exhorts all believers to hear and ponder these words that the Spirit has written to the churches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus desires all believers to hear the words of this letter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us heed the words of this letter.<b><br clear="all" style="break-before: page;" /><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-53947242511026447492019-12-13T07:19:00.000-08:002019-12-13T07:19:10.136-08:00To the Church of Sardis: Wake Up (Rev 3:1-6)<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="clouds above mountains during golden hour" height="347" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454649978226-6dd578c28449?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
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<i>What makes the seven letters to the churches special is that they were dictated by the Lord Jesus Himself. It was a privilege to preach through all seven letters from October 27-December 8, 2019. What I have attempted to do here is not a formal exposition of the text. I have tried to simply summarize the text, its theology, and its application as an aid to study and meditation. I pray that you, dear reader, find it helpful as you ponder the text.</i></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:1 - <i>“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”</i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells John the apostle to write to the messenger of the church in Sardis and identify Jesus as the one who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. He wants the church to know that He knows their deeds, and that they have a reputation for life but are actually dead.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus possesses the seven Spirits of God (the fullness of the Spirit’s ministry [cf. Isa 11:2] depicted by a lampstand with seven branches in Zech 4:1-3) and the seven stars (the messengers of the church). Jesus knows the actual spiritual state of the churches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us beware that some churches have a reputation for abundant life but are spiritually dead. It would be better to be a spiritually live church that has the reputation of being dead! But may we have a reputation for zeal and holiness that reflects the truth of our spiritual condition.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:2 – “<i>Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the church in Sardis to wake up and strengthen the things that are barely hanging on, because their deeds are not good (not complete has the sense of their deeds lack true and righteous motivation) in the sight of His God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus, the Son of God, desires dead churches to wake up and strengthen whatever remains before they die completely; because their deeds are not good in the sight of the Father.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us strengthen what we have, that it would not die. May this message be communicated to those churches around us who are dead.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:3 –<i> “So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus exhorts the church in Sardis to remember the gospel they had at one time (perhaps a generation before) received and heard, to keep it, and to repent of their evil. He warns them that if they do not wake up, He will come to them like a thief at an hour unknown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus desires the dead churches to remember the gospel that had disappeared, to keep, and to repent of their sins. Jesus will come upon the unregenerate in the churches at an unknown hour.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us keep the gospel front and center. May our devotion to the preaching of the gospel never be ritualistic or formulaic, but heartfelt and earnest. Let us pray that the gospel will never be moved from center stage in the church.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:4 – “<i>But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus commends a few people in the church of Sardis who had not soiled their garments, and promises that they will walk with Him in white since they are worthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus knows those who are in dead churches yet live, having kept their garments clean. Jesus will cause believers to walk in white clothing with Him, because He considers them worthy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us take heart that there are dead churches with life still inside. May we pray that little bit of life sparks revival in such churches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:5 – “<i>He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus promises that all who overcome will be clothed in white garments, that his name will not be erased from the book of life, and that Jesus will confess his name before His Father and the angels.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus will clothe believers in white garments. He will not strike out their name from the book of life, but He will confess their names before the Father and His angels.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us hold fast to that which we have, so that we will be clothed in white and hear our name confessed by Jesus before the Father and His angels, being read from the book of life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 3:6 – “<i>He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus calls every believer to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches in this letter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus desires believers to heed the words of this letter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us seek the help of the Spirit to understand these letters to the churches that we may reform the church according to Christ’s will.<b><br clear="all" style="break-before: page;" /><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-21403496709309619412019-12-13T07:18:00.002-08:002019-12-13T07:18:38.683-08:00To the Church of Thyatira: Stop Tolerating Error (Rev 2:18-29)<br />
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<img alt="clouds above mountains during golden hour" height="347" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454649978226-6dd578c28449?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
<br />
<i>What makes the seven letters to the churches special is that they were dictated by the Lord Jesus Himself. It was a privilege to preach through all seven letters from October 27-December 8, 2019. What I have attempted to do here is not a formal exposition of the text. I have tried to simply summarize the text, its theology, and its application as an aid to study and meditation. I pray that you, dear reader, find it helpful as you ponder the text.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:18 -<i> “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells John the apostle to write to the messenger of the church in Thyatira and identify Him as the Son of God with eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished bronze.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus is the Son of God. As God’s Son, Jesus has eyes like a flame of fire that search the minds and hearts of all people and feet like burnished bronze that judge those who do iniquity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us reverence the Son of God whose eyes search the minds and hearts and whose feet come quickly in judgment upon those practicing iniquity. May our feet be ever treading the paths of righteousness that His shield may be around us and His eyes and feet working against our enemies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:19 –<i> “‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells church in Thyatira that He knows their deeds: their love, faith, service, and perseverance; and He knows that their deeds of late are greater than their deeds at first.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus desires the deeds of His churches (love, faith, service, and perseverance) to be greater than previous.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>May our love, faith, service, and perseverance be greater each day, so that the Lord will never have cause to point out to us the decline of these deeds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:20 – “<i>But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church of Thyatira that He holds against them their toleration of the woman Jezebel, a self-proclaimed prophetess who was teaching and leading the believer astray into deeds of immorality and idolatry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus does not desire His church to tolerate any self-proclaimed prophet or teacher, for such will inevitably lead His bondservants astray into deeds of immorality and idolatry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us beware lest we tolerate in any form (social media, television, radio, books, articles, etc.) false teachers and prophets who think themselves something they are not and lead the sheep into immorality and idolatry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:21 –<i> “I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church of Thyatira that He had given Jezebel time to repent, but she was not willing to repent of her immorality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus is patient with false teachers in order that they might repent of their immoralities.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us in the same way be patient toward false teachers, preaching the true gospel and calling them to repent; let us not tolerate their teaching in the church, but plead with them to turn from their evil ways.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:22 – “<i>Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church of Thyatira that He is going to throw Jezebel on a bed for judgment and those who follow her immoralities into great tribulation; but they still had a chance to repent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus will judge false teachers and throw their unrepentant followers into great tribulation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us warn those who follow false teachers of the strict judgment that will come upon teachers (Jas 3:1) and the myriad of warnings about what false teachers will experience (e.g. Matt 17:2). May we patiently labor in the preaching of the truth to those who are under the spell of false teachers, that we might snatch them out of the fire.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:23 – “<i>And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church of Thyatira that He will kill Jezebel’s followers with pestilence, resulting in all the churches knowing that He is the one who searches the minds and hearts to give to each individual person according to their deeds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus will cast the followers of false teachers into great tribulation so that they will be killed with pestilence. By this He will cause all the churches to know that He is the one who searches the minds of hearts of all people to give to them according to their deeds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us beware the coming wrath of Jesus when He returns to gather His church in the Rapture. While He tenderly gathers His sheep into the fold to weather the cataclysm, He will cast out the wolves into the great tribulation to be killed by pestilence. Thus, we will know in that day that He is indeed the one who searches the minds and hearts of all people to give them according to their deeds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:24 – “<i>But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you.” <o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the rest of those in the church of Thyatira, who did not hold this teaching or know the deep things of Satan (as the teaching was called), that He had no other burden to place on them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus does not place any heavy burdens upon those who trust in Him and cling to truth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>How light is the yoke of the Savior. His commandments are not burdensome to obey, because we love Him so. Let us simply trust in Him and cling to His truth. Let us know His Word so that we will not be pulled aside to the left or to the right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:25 –<i> “Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the rest of those in the church of Thyatira to hold fast what they have until His Coming.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus will return at any moment, and desires to find His church holding fast what they have when He comes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us hold fast to what we have, so that we will not shrink back in shame at His Coming.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:26 – “<i>He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church of Thyatira that those who overcome and keep His deeds until the end will receive from Him authority over the nations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus will give believers authority over the nations in the Kingdom.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us hold fast until the end, overcoming the temptations of the devil to fall away from the faith. Let us cling faithfully to the truth, overcoming the wiles of false teachers who vomit error everywhere. May we cling to the hope of ruling with authority over the nations under the Lord Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:27 – “<i>and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church of Thyatira that those who overcome and keep His deeds until the end will rule the nations with a rod of iron, smashing them like pottery, just like the authority that Jesus received from His Father (cf. Psa 2:8-9)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus will give believers the authority to rule the nations with a rod of iron in the Kingdom.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us ever meditate on what it means to be “in Christ,” marveling at the fact that whatever happens to Jesus happens to us and whatever is given to Jesus is given to us. Wonder of wonders. Grace upon grace. What an amazing salvation we have been given by a Father who has lavished His love upon us.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:28 – “<i>and I will give him the morning star.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the church of Thyatira that those who overcome and keep His deeds until the end will receive from Him the morning star, Jesus Himself (cf. Rev 22:16).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus will give Himself in His fullness to believers that they may enjoy Him forever.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us look forward to full fellowship with Christ Himself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:29 – “<i>He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells all those who have spiritual ears to heed what the Spirit is saying to the churches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus desires believers to heed the words of this letter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us heed the words of this letter, being on guard for the subtle tricks of the devil.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-49675002474552328832019-12-13T07:18:00.000-08:002019-12-13T07:18:06.976-08:00To the Church of Pergamum: Deal with Error (Rev 2:12-17)<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="clouds above mountains during golden hour" height="347" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454649978226-6dd578c28449?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>What makes the seven letters to the churches special is that they were dictated by the Lord Jesus Himself. It was a privilege to preach through all seven letters from October 27-December 8, 2019. What I have attempted to do here is not a formal exposition of the text. I have tried to simply summarize the text, its theology, and its application as an aid to study and meditation. I pray that you, dear reader, find it helpful as you ponder the text.</i><br />
<i><br /></i></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:12 -<i> “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:”</i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus told John to write to the messenger of the church that was in Pergamum and identify Him as the One holding the sharp two-edged sword, the Word of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus is the One who holds the sharp two-edged sword, His Word, that He will use to strike the nations (Rev 19:15).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us find our security in Jesus, who wields the sharp two-edged sword, whom no one will overcome.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:13 –<i> “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church in Pergamum that He knows that they live in the midst of a place ruled by Satan yet had not denied His faith even when Antipas, whom He calls His witness and faithful one, was killed in their midst.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus knows that His church is surrounded on all sides by Satan’s kingdom, yet He desires them to live as faithful witnesses who confess His faith, even upon pain of death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us not despair even though we are surrounded by Satan’s kingdom on every side. Instead, let us boldly live as faithful witnesses who confess the faith, even in the face of death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:14 – “<i>But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church in Pergamum that He holds a few things against them, namely that there were those (like Balaam toward Balak) who were causing the saints to commit idolatry and immorality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology: </b>Jesus does not desire His saints to be led into idolatry or immorality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Be on guard, lest any arise among us who promote idolatry and immorality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:15 – “<i>So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the church in Pergamum that there were some that were holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Theology: </b>Jesus does not approve heresies, such as the Nicolaitan heresy, that causes His people to stumble into sin.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us watch our doctrine and our lives closely that we would be pure in mind and deed before the Lord.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:16 – “<i>Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus warns the church in Pergamum to repent of their toleration of those who were teaching error lest He were to come upon them and make war with the false teachers with the sharp two-edged sword of His mouth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology: </b>Jesus will strike down false teachers with the sharp two-edged sword of His mouth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Application: </b>Let us be quick to strike down error so that Jesus will have no reason to wage war with any teachers of the church.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Revelation 2:17 – “<i>He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Summary: </b>Jesus exhorts all those who have spiritual ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches in these letters. He promises the overcomers a share of the hidden manna and the gift of a white stone etched with a new name for the believer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology: </b>Jesus desires every believer to heed the words of this letter. Believers will receive some of the manna hidden in the presence of God and entrance into the wedding feast of the Lamb by means of a white stone etched with their new names.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us press on, though we live where Satan dwells and rules, that we will receive entrance into the wedding feast of the Lamb.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-76710951104839024162019-12-13T07:17:00.000-08:002019-12-13T07:17:03.139-08:00To the Church of Smyrna: Do Not Fear (Rev 2:8-11)<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="clouds above mountains during golden hour" height="347" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454649978226-6dd578c28449?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>What makes the seven letters to the churches special is that they were dictated by the Lord Jesus Himself. It was a privilege to preach through all seven letters from October 27-December 8, 2019. What I have attempted to do here is not a formal exposition of the text. I have tried to simply summarize the text, its theology, and its application as an aid to study and meditation. I pray that you, dear reader, find it helpful as you ponder the text.</i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:8 - <i>“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the apostle John to write to the messenger of the church in Smyrna, and identify Jesus, the sender, as the first and the last, who was dead but has come to life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology:</b> Jesus is the first and the last, clearly identifying Him as God (cf. Rev 1:8; Isa 41:4; 44:6). He is also the one who was dead but has come to life, demonstrating that He truly is the life and offers it to those who trust in Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>We can trust Jesus in any situation, because He is God, having existed in eternity past and existing into eternity future; though He was for a short time dead, He came to life. We know that He is able and just to do all that He promises.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:9 -<i> ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus tells the church of Smyrna that He knows their tribulation and poverty, yet He asserts that they are spiritually rich. He also assures them that He knows the blasphemy they endure by Jews who are not Jews because they do not accept the Lord (but are really a synagogue of Satan’s perverse lies).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology:</b> Jesus knows the tribulation that His saints endure. He knows their poverty, yet He knows when they are spiritually rich. He knows the blasphemy they endure by those who belong to Satan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us endure tribulation, knowing that Jesus suffered in the same way and knows are trials. Let us take heart that He knows our financial circumstances, but He is delighted if we are spiritually rich. Let us rejoice that He knows the blasphemy we endure by those who are children of Satan.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Revelation 2:10 - <i>Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the saints at Smyrna not to fear what they were about to suffer, namely the imprisonment that the devil was about to test them with and the upsurge of tribulation they were going to experience for ten days. Jesus exhorted them to remain faithful unto death so they would receive from Him the crown of life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology:</b> Jesus allows His church to suffer greatly at the hands of the devil for their testing, and He desires His saints to be faithful until death so that they will receive from Him the crown of life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Application:</b> Let us not fear suffering, knowing that the Lord allows it for our testing; but let us be faithful until death, keeping in mind the crown of life that we will receive.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:11 -<i> He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus exhorts all those who have spiritual ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches in this letter. He promises that all those who remain faithful until death (overcomers) will not be hurt by the second death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus desires all Christians to give attention to this letter. Believers will by no means be hurt by the second death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us heed the words of this letter, rejoicing that if we overcome, we will not be hurt by the second death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-80443806140894053782019-12-13T07:06:00.002-08:002019-12-13T07:29:54.860-08:00To the Church of Ephesus: Rekindle Your Love (Rev 2:1-7)<br />
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<img alt="clouds above mountains during golden hour" height="344" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1454649978226-6dd578c28449?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>What makes the seven letters to the churches special is that they were dictated by the Lord Jesus Himself. It was a privilege to preach through all seven letters from October 27-December 8, 2019. What I have attempted to do here is not a formal exposition of the text. I have tried to simply summarize the text, its theology, and its application as an aid to study and meditation. I pray that you, dear reader, find it helpful as you ponder the text.</i></div>
<br />
The seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor that are
included within the book of Revelation were dictated to the apostle John by the
Lord Jesus Himself. These letters demonstrate that every church is in immediate
danger from one of two sources. Each individual local church is either in
danger from the world or from the Lord. Significantly, only two churches out of
the seven are in danger from the world. The other five progress from better to
worse, beginning with the Ephesian church, who maintained doctrinal soundness
but had lost their love for the Lord and one another, and culminating with the
Laodicean church, which was completely apostate. Yet the Lord Jesus
compassionately calls the individuals in these churches to hear the words of
these letters and repent. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Jesus also speaks to the regenerate individuals within each
church, promising that if they persevere steadfast in the faith, He will grant
to them incomparable promises. These promises are true for every believer. The
Holy Spirit saw fit to preserve the Revelation for us to read and study today,
so as we study the letters to the churches, we learn the will of the Lord Jesus
Christ for the churches. Each of these letters has application for us. I don’t
know that it is beneficial to try to identify ourselves with any single church,
although I might concede that we should aim to be faithful like Smyrna and
Philadelphia. Many have seen the parallels between the culture of the church
today and Laodicea, yet parallels can be drawn between the church culture today
and each of the first-century churches in Asia Minor. Thus, we need to study
and apply each of these letters.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The seven letters are ordered according to the postal route.
The letters would have been taken from the isle of Patmos, where John had been
exiled to, and would have gone to each city along that postal route in Asia
Minor, starting with Ephesus and ending with Laodicea. Each church had its own
unique historical situation in its own unique historical setting. Rather than
spend the time in this short review commenting on the circumstances of each of
these churches, I have included comments about the historical background only
where it seems necessary to understand the text. For those readers who desire
more information about the historical background for each church, I refer you
to the bibliography at the end of this paper. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A word about the structure of the letters is necessary. Each
letter begins with an introduction of the sender, the Lord Jesus. The
descriptions of the Lord are mostly drawn from the vision of the previous
chapter. Each description is custom-fitted to suit the situation of the
particular church in view. After the introduction, there normally follows a
word of commendation, making an emphatic point when there is no commendation
for the church. Third, a word of critique follows for all but the two faithful
churches. This is followed by a warning of judgment and exhortation to repent
or remain faithful. The letters close with a word of promise and an exhortation
that believers heed the words of the letter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>TO THE CHURCH
OF EPHESUS: REKINDLE YOUR LOVE<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><u><br /></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Revelation 2:1 - <i>“To the angel of the church in
Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who
walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus tells the apostle John to write to the
messenger (<span lang="EL" style="mso-ansi-language: EL;">αγγελος</span> here
refers to the human messenger to the church, probably referring to the teaching
pastor) of the church in Ephesus that this letter is from the One who holds the
seven stars in His right hand and who walks among the seven golden lampstands,
symbolic of Christ holding the seven pastors in His hand and His presence among
and tending of the seven churches (cf. Rev 1:20).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology:</b> Jesus is the One who holds the pastor-teachers
of each church in His hand, having authority over them, and who walks among the
churches, tending them as their Great Shepherd.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Application: </b>We can rejoice, because Jesus cares for
His churches and for their leadership. Knowing that He is among us, we should
be ever careful to walk in a manner that pleases Him. Pastors should be ever
mindful that they are in His right hand, subject both to His blessing and His
judgment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:2 – “<i>‘I know your deeds and your toil and
perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test
those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be
false;” <o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus comforts the Ephesian church with His
intimate knowledge of their deeds, toil, and perseverance. He knows their
intolerance of evil men, putting them to the test and finding false their
self-proclaimed apostleship.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus knows the deeds of His churches, and
He is pleased when they deal with false teachers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application: </b>May our deeds and toil and perseverance
be evident in the sight of the Lord Jesus, and may He find that we love the
truth and are intolerant of those who preach error.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:3 – “<i>and you have perseverance and have
endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary: </b>Jesus continues his comfort of the Ephesian
church with a word concerning His knowledge of their tireless perseverance and
endurance for His name’s sake.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology:</b> Jesus knows what His churches endure for
His name’s sake, and He is pleased when they do so tirelessly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Application: </b>Let us endure all things for His name’s
sake, not growing weary but strong in the faith.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:4 – “<i>But I have this against you, that
you have left your first love.”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus moves from commendation to critique of
the Ephesian church, telling them that He holds it against them that they had
left their first love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus desires His churches to grow in love,
and He is displeased when their love grows cold.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Application:</b> May we excel evermore in our love for
the Lord and for one another.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Revelation 2:5 – “<i>Therefore remember from where you
have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming
to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.” <o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Since they had lost their first love, Jesus
exhorts the Ephesian church to remember the love that they had at first, repent
of their lovelessness, and begin doing the deeds that demonstrate the presence
of their first love. He goes on to warn them that He will remove their
lampstand, effectively closing the church, if they do not repent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus will close a church due to an
unrepentant lack of love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Application:</b> Let us grow in our love, performing the
deeds that are indicative of true Christian love.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><o:p><br /></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:6 –<i> “Yet this you do have, that you hate
the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” <o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus again commends the Ephesian church for
their hatred of false teaching, naming the Nicolaitans, who were leading the
churches into idolatry and immorality through their doctrine (cf. Rev 2:14-15).
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Theology:</b> Jesus hates false teaching and the deeds
that result from it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Application:</b> We also should hate false teaching and
the deeds that result from it, and we should seek to carefully pluck believers
out of the influence of false teaching.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><o:p><br /></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b>Revelation 2:7 – “<i>He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of
the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’”<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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<b>Summary:</b> Jesus exhorts all those who have spiritual
ears to hear what the Spirit is telling the churches in this letter. He
promises that the one who remains faithful to the end despite the temptation
toward loveless orthodoxy will partake with all believers of the tree of life
in the Paradise of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Theology:</b> Jesus will grant believers to eat of the
tree of life in the Paradise of God.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Application: </b>Let us regard this message from the Holy
Spirit and remain faithful to the end so that we may join all believers in partaking
of the tree of life in God’s Paradise.</div>
Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-40739518769785407342019-12-12T09:12:00.002-08:002019-12-13T08:35:51.284-08:00Exodus 3 - The Burning Bush<img alt="body of water during golden hour" height="426" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1555320667-c1391cbb15b1?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
continues to be a wonderful task to exposit the Old Testament. I preached
through the book of Exodus in the second half of 2018 verse by verse and
paragraph by paragraph. We left no word unread and did not skip the exposition
of any section. It is a wonderful exercise for myself to go back now, chapter
by chapter, and review the wonderful truth of this book. I pray that it is as
beneficial for you, the reader, as it has been for me. More resources can be
found at </span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/">www.fbcroxana.com</a></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 106%; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This very
important chapter details God’s commissioning of Moses to lead the people of
Israel out from the land of Egypt. God raised up Moses in order to fulfill His
covenant which He had made with Abraham more than 400 years before. God is not
slow about His promises, but bring them about in His own timing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now Moses was pasturing the flock of
Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the
west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. <sup>2</sup>
The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a
bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush
was not consumed. <sup>3</sup> So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see
this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” <sup>4</sup> When the
LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the
bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” <sup>5</sup> Then He
said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place
on which you are standing is holy ground.” <sup>6</sup> He said also, “I am the
God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The angel of
the LORD is again identified as being God Himself, and is said to speak for God
as God. He appeared to Moses in the burning bush on mount Horeb (also called
Sinai). God called out to Moses from the midst of the bush, and identified
Himself as the God of Moses’ fathers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">7</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The LORD said, “I have surely seen
the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry
because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. <sup>8</sup>
So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to
bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing
with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the
Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. <sup>9</sup> Now,
behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen
the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God had not
forgotten His people. He had not ignored their cries. He was not oblivious to
their distress. He had seen and He had heard. Furthermore, He remembered His
covenant made with their fathers to give them the land of Canaan where they
would become a prosperous nation unto the LORD. Though His timing is different
than His people suppose it should be, His timing is perfect. Now, at just the
right time, He was going to deliver Israel out of Egypt to take them to the
Promised Land of Canaan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Therefore, come now, and I will send
you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of
Egypt.” <sup>11</sup> But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to
Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” <sup>12</sup>
And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you
that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt,
you shall worship God at this mountain.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God’s sign
to Moses was that his mission would be completed. If Moses went to Pharaoh and
failed to free the Egyptians, he would know for sure that God had not sent him.
But if he went to Pharaoh and successfully delivered Israel out of the land of
Egypt to Mount Sinai on the way to the land of Canaan, then Moses would have no
doubt that it was God who was with him to deliver the people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I
am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your
fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What
shall I say to them?” <sup>14</sup> God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He
said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was not
some unknown and impersonal God that was sending Moses back into Egypt at the
risk of his own life. He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was the
God who created the world. This name ‘I AM’ demonstrates God’s self-existence
and eternity. It shows that God will never change, for He is immutable. Moses
was to declare this supreme and awesome God to the people of Israel. He was not
going back at the command of some little god. He was going under orders from
the Most High God whose personal name demonstrates His superiority and
sovereignty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> God, furthermore, said to Moses,
“Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers,
the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to
you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yahweh is
God’s permanent name unto every generation. It is a promise tha</span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">t even thousands
of years later, He is. He cannot die. He cannot be dethroned. This is how His
people are to know Him forever: the eternal, sovereign, unchangeable God who
faithfully keeps His covenants.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Go and gather the elders of Israel
together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I am indeed concerned
about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. <sup>17</sup> So I said, I
will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite
and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the
Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What a
comforting message to an afflicted people. God was concerned about them, and
would end their affliction by bringing them to a land of great things. This is
still His promise to all those who are afflicted and persecuted. There is a
heavenly kingdom that awaits where affliction will be finished and glory
awaits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">18</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> They will pay heed to what you say;
and you with the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will
say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, please,
let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the
LORD our God.’ <sup>19</sup> But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit
you to go, except under compulsion. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
inscrutable sovereignty of the LORD is self-evident from these passages dealing
with Pharaoh’s will and hardness of heart. Sometimes Pharaoh is said to harden
his heart. Sometimes God hardens Pharaoh’s heart. The point here is that God
was warning Moses that it would not be in-and-out. Pharaoh would put up a
fight. But it would end with God’s name being glorified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So I will stretch out My hand and
strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and
after that he will let you go. <sup>21</sup> I will grant this people favor in
the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go
empty-handed. <sup>22</sup> But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the
woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and
clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will
plunder the Egyptians.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God’s power
would be put on display. No one would have cause to wonder whether Pharaoh was
stronger or God was. God would decimate the power of Egypt, and His people
would plunder the defeated foe on their way out of the land of their captivity.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God is not
slow about His promises, but is able to bring Himself glory through His patient
dealings with mankind. He did not forget the people of Israel, but heard their
cries and knew their affliction. In the right time, He raised up Moses and sent
him to the people to deliver them and take them to the Promised Land. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So also, at
the right time, God raised up His Son Jesus that all who believe in Him would
be delivered from their sins. He is the great I AM. He is the eternal and
unchanging Son of God. We believe in Him and submit to Him, waiting for the day
when He will gather us to Himself and rule over all the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-21890346967821510092019-12-11T09:05:00.000-08:002019-12-13T08:35:59.686-08:00Exodus 2 - The Beginning of Moses<img alt="body of water during golden hour" height="426" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1555320667-c1391cbb15b1?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">It
continues to be a wonderful task to exposit the Old Testament. I preached
through the book of Exodus in the second half of 2018 verse by verse and
paragraph by paragraph. We left no word unread and did not skip the exposition
of any section. It is a wonderful exercise for myself to go back now, chapter
by chapter, and review the wonderful truth of this book. I pray that it is as
beneficial for you, the reader, as it has been for me. More resources can be
found at </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/">www.fbcroxana.com</a></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 106%; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Moses
towers over almost every other character in history. He was uniquely used by
God in the deliverance and leadership of Israel. No other man or woman sees or
heard the wonderful things that Moses does. No other man or woman was given the
privileges of Moses. He was the man whom God talked with face to face (Exod
33:11; Num 12:8). Through Moses came the Law, as ordained by angels. In spite
of all this, Moses was only a man. He had a beginning, being born while Israel
was in captivity in Egypt. He was not instantly a leader. His leadership was
rejected by the people of Israel until he returned as a prophet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of
Levi. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This
was a common marriage between common people in Israel. There was nothing
significant about who they were. But God used these two people to bring about a
man whom He would use mightily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">2</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was
beautiful, she hid him for three months. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">In a
desperate ploy to control the Hebrew population, Pharaoh had ordered that all
the Hebrew boys be thrown into the river as soon as they were born. This mother
was very brave in disobeying Pharaoh, doing what was right in the sight of God
at any risk. However, there comes a point when it becomes impossible to hide a
baby.<b><i><sup><o:p></o:p></sup></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">3</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket
and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set
it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Ironically,
the mother obeyed the letter of Pharaoh’s law. She put the child into the
water, protected by an ark (the same Hebrew word as Noah’s Ark). She further
protected the child by setting the ark among the reeds by the bank where
someone might walk by and notice. By setting the ark in the reeds, the mother
made sure that the ark did not float dangerously down the river. As an added
protection,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">4</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> His sister stood at a distance to find out what would happen to
him.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">They
knew that someone would come and find him. Now they wanted to know where he
would end up. God had something great planned for this baby. In His providence,
Pharaoh’s daughter would come along and deliver the baby from the water into
her palace where he would be groomed to be the deliverer of the house of
Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">5</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her
maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the reeds and
sent her maid, and she brought it to her. <sup>6</sup> When she opened it, she
saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and
said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Pharaoh’s
daughter must have known that the child was a Hebrew from his circumcised and
his plight in the water. God made her compassionate toward the child so that
she would even disobey her own father in order to rescue him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">7</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a
nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?” <sup>8</sup>
Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So the girl went and called the
child’s mother. <sup>9</sup> Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this
child away and nurse him for me and I will give you your wages.” So the woman
took the child and nursed him. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">How
great is God that He would give this child back into the care of his mother for
some time. In this way, the child would grow up knowing his family and his
heritage. He would be taught the works and covenant promises of the LORD. His
parents were provided for and protected during this time. Since God’s purpose
for the child was to one day lead his people out of Egypt to the Promised Land,
the child’s formative years were spent with his family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">10</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he
became her son. And she named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of
the water.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Like
Moses, the children of Israel would be drawn out of the water by the LORD. They
would be delivered by the hand of God, and Moses would be the prophet, leader,
and deliverer who would redeem them out of Egypt. First, Moses needed to
understand this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">11</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he
went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an
Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. <sup>12</sup> So he looked this
way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the
Egyptian and hid him in the sand. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Moses
was willing to act on behalf of his fellow Israelites. Though he had spent the
bulk of his first forty years living in the palace of Egypt and being educated
as a prince, He did not identify as an Egyptian, but as a Hebrew. However, he
was not willing to do so publicly. Before he murdered the Egyptian, he looked
around to make sure that no one would see him avenge his relative, and then he
hid the body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">13</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> He went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were fighting
with each other; and he said to the offender, “Why are you striking your
companion?” <sup>14</sup> But he said, “Who made you a prince or a judge over
us? Are you intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was
afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The
people of Israel did not accept him as their leader or deliverer. They were
unwilling to follow him or protect him. So Moses feared greatly, knowing that
the news of his actions was traveling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But
Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and
he sat down by a well.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Moses
fled from the anger of Pharaoh. He traveled to the land of Midian which was
northeast of Egypt. Our attention should be grabbed by the mention of a well,
for many important things have happened in proximity to wells. The servant met
Rebekah at a well. Jacob met Rachel at a well. Abraham dug wells, and Isaac had
a great number of disputes about wells. Wells have as signs and memorials and
oaths. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">16</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters; and they came to
draw water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. <sup>17</sup>
Then the shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and helped them
and watered their flock. <sup>18</sup> When they came to Reuel their father, he
said, “Why have you come back so soon today?” <sup>19</sup> So they said, “An
Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even
drew the water for us and watered the flock.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">These
women rejoiced in Moses’ deliverance of them, unlike the people of Israel.
Moses was identified as an Egyptian, for he was probably dressed and shaved
like an Egyptian; but the matter in Egypt had probably confused Moses greatly
so that he was unsure of his identity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you
have left the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.” <sup>21</sup>
Moses was willing to dwell with the man, and he gave his daughter Zipporah to
Moses. <sup>22</sup> Then she gave birth to a son, and he named him Gershom,
for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">That
Moses, whom they took to be an Egyptian, should eat with shepherds must have
seemed odd to Reuel and his family. It would have been unthinkable for an Egyptian
to dwell with shepherds! But Moses was not an Egyptian and must have felt at
home among a shepherding people like his own Israelite family. But he was never
settled. He always remembered that he was only a sojourner in Midian.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">23</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king
of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they
cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. <sup>24</sup>
So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. <sup>25</sup> God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice
of them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">God
had promised to give Abraham’s descendants the land of Canaan. They had been
brought to the land of Egypt until the Amorite’s iniquity was fulfilled. Now it
was time for the sons of Israel to be delivered from Egypt to become the people
of God and to be given the land just as God had sworn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">There
is one who came after Moses who overshadows him completely. He is the prophet
that Moses foretold (Deut 18:15-22). Like Moses, He was born, but He had
already existed at the beginning of time. He was born into danger just like
Moses was, and was likewise protected by God in Egypt. This is Jesus, God’s
Son. He is the Messiah, the Seed of the woman prophesied of in Genesis 3:15. He
came to give deliverance that is far greater than the deliverance of Moses.
Jesus delivers those who believe from sin, and will bring them into His Kingdom
forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-55568300125991668302019-12-10T08:15:00.000-08:002019-12-13T08:36:06.534-08:00Exodus 1 - Israel's Blessing in Captivity<img alt="body of water during golden hour" height="426" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1555320667-c1391cbb15b1?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=eyJhcHBfaWQiOjEyMDd9&w=1000&q=80" width="640" /><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">It continues to be a wonderful task to exposit the Old Testament. I
preached through the book of Exodus in the second half of 2018 verse by verse
and paragraph by paragraph. We left no word unread and did not skip the
exposition of any section. It is a wonderful exercise for myself to go back
now, chapter by chapter, and review the wonderful truth of this book. I pray
that it is as beneficial for you, the reader, as it has been for me. More
resources can be found at </span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/">www.fbcroxana.com</a></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">The title of Exodus in the Hebrew
Bible is “Names.” It is so called, because that is how the book begins: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Now these are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt
with Jacob; they came each one with his household: <sup>2</sup> Reuben, Simeon,
Levi and Judah; <sup>3</sup> Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; <sup>4</sup> Dan
and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. <sup>5</sup> All the persons who came from the
loins of Jacob were seventy in number, but Joseph was already in Egypt. <sup>6</sup>
Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. <sup>7</sup> But the
sons of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly, and multiplied, and became
exceedingly mighty, so that the land was filled with them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">The sons of Israel lived in the land
of Egypt for 430 years, and during that time, God caused them to greatly
multiply. As a people, they had become a mighty nation, spreading out
throughout the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">8</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">This king was likely a Hyksos king,
who took over Egypt for a period. As a foreigner, the king would not have known
much about Joseph and his family. He was only worried that this people would be
able to overpower him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><sup>9</sup> He said to his people, “Behold,
the people of the sons of Israel are more and mightier than we. <sup>10</sup>
Come, let us deal wisely with them, or else they will multiply and in the event
of war, they will also join themselves to those who hate us, and fight against
us and depart from the land.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">The king calls his people to deal
with the people of Israel wisely lest they were to continue multiplying and be
able to join with the Egyptians and oust them from the land. The idiom
translated here as “depart from the land” literally says “they will go up from
the land.” In Hosea 2:1-2, this same phrase is used to mean that the people
will multiply. It seems to picture the people growing up as a plant from the
land. The king of Egypt feared the people of Israel, that they would continue
to increase in might.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">11</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> So they appointed taskmasters over them to afflict them with hard
labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses. <sup>12</sup>
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they
spread out, so that they were in dread of the sons of Israel. <sup>13</sup> The
Egyptians compelled the sons of Israel to labor rigorously; <sup>14</sup> and
they made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar and bricks and at all
kinds of labor in the field, all their labors which they rigorously imposed on
them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">So the people, under the leadership
of the Pharaoh, afflicted the Israelites with hard labor. The Israelites built
the storage cities for Pharaoh. However, not even hard labor hindered the
fruitfulness of the Israelites, for the harder they were worked, the more they
multiplied. So the Egyptians continually made the labor harder and the lives of
the Israelites more bitter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom
was named Shiphrah and the other was named Puah; <sup>16</sup> and he said,
“When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the
birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a
daughter, then she shall live.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">The king resorted to infanticide in
order to control the population of the Israelites. His plan was probably to
diminish the male population so that the females would be married off outside
of the nation and be assimilated. What is fascinating here is that the names of
the Hebrew midwives are the first characters named in this narrative. The
parents of the baby were not named, nor the king of Egypt. But these midwives’
names were preserved in the biblical narrative. Why? Because:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">17</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt
had commanded them, but let the boys live.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">The midwives feared God more than they
feared Pharaoh. Their allegiance was with God, and so they defied the orders of
Pharaoh. This is the kind of faith God would later desire from Moses and the
Israelites throughout Exodus. The defiance of the midwives did not go
unnoticed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">18</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them,
“Why have you done this thing, and let the boys live?” <sup>19</sup> The
midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian
women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to
them.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">The midwives made sport of the king
and his people, implying that the Hebrew women were superior to the Egyptians.
The Pharaoh, who supposed himself a god, was powerless against these women, and
could not answer them! His plan was thwarted, and the people continued to
multiply and increase in strength:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"> So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and
became very mighty. <sup>21</sup> Because the midwives feared God, He
established households for them. <sup>22</sup> Then Pharaoh commanded all his
people, saying, “Every son who is born you are to cast into the Nile, and every
daughter you are to keep alive.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Since the midwives feared God, He
gave them households in Israel, and established them. So Pharaoh commanded the
people to kill their sons by throwing them into the Nile River. Already,
Pharaoh has been shown to be powerless to stop the people of Israel from
multiplying and becoming mighty. No matter what he throws at them, the people
continue to be fruitful and fill up the land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Conclusion</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Pharaoh was working against the
Almighty God who had made a covenant with Abraham that He would make his
descendants as the sand of the seas. In the years that they were in Egypt, God
increased their number so that there were approximately two million Israelites.
And He was continuing to expand that number at an incredible rate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Next, God began to fulfill the
promise of land by beginning the process of delivering Israel from Egypt to
take them to the Promised Land. Of course, we know that the people of Israel
were not all like the midwives. They did not yet fear God. They did not yet
regard Him as superior to Pharaoh. In fact, their history is full of idolatry
as they constantly turn away from worshiping the true God. Thankfully, God is
patient, and He will soon bring all of His promises made to Abraham to
fulfillment. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">In the mean time, He has delivered a
people from sin by sending His Son, born of the seed of Abraham, to die on a
cross. In His death, Jesus, the Son of God, paid the full penalty of sin on
behalf of those who believe in Him so that they may have everlasting life. They
will rule with Him in the Kingdom when it is finally realized, and the people
of Israel are securely in the land with Jesus reigning over them as King and
dispensing blessing unto the whole world. Repent and believe in Jesus as the
Messiah, the Savior from sins, who will come to judge the world for its sin.
Trust in Him, and you will gain eternal life with Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 107%;">Imitate the faith and obedience of
these two midwives who feared God rather than Pharaoh. Keep your focus on God
who rules over all, standing firm on the truth that no one can overcome His
will. Though Satan throws himself against the church with all his might, he
will never overcome it. The harder he tries to destroy the church, the greater
the church flourishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-10089942887959771982019-12-07T09:56:00.005-08:002019-12-07T09:56:58.885-08:00Genesis 50 - Jacob's Burial<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
article is part of a series of articles that resulted from my time preaching
through the book of Genesis. The commentary on the passage is my own, resulting
from hours of research and exegetical study. It is my intent to draw a biblical
theology chapter by chapter through the book of Genesis that places the events
of the narratives into the broad picture of the entire Bible, demonstrating the
progressiveness of theology and the sufficiency of every Word of Scripture. It
is my prayer that these articles are helpful to those seeking a better
understanding of the book of Genesis and of the Bible as a whole. The sermon
series and other resources can be found at </span></i><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.fbcroxana.com</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then Joseph fell on his father’s
face, and wept over him and kissed him. <sup>2</sup> Joseph commanded his servants
the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. <sup>3</sup>
Now forty days were required for it, for such is the period required for
embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Egyptians did not embalm just
anyone. This indicates Jacob’s exalted status in the eyes of the Egyptians. He
was the blessed patriarch of the household of Israel and father of Joseph. The
process of embalming took forty days, but the exhibition of grief took seventy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> When the days of mourning for him
were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have
found favor in your sight, please speak to Pharaoh, saying, <sup>5</sup> ‘My
father made me swear, saying, “Behold, I am about to die; in my grave which I dug
for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore,
please let me go up and bury my father; then I will return.’” <sup>6</sup>
Pharaoh said, “Go up and bury your father, as he made you swear.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joseph’s relationship with Pharaoh
was nothing like the relationship that would exist between Moses and Pharaoh.
Pharaoh allowed Joseph and his family to go and bury Jacob in the land of
Canaan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">7</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So Joseph went up to bury his
father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his
household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, <sup>8</sup> and all the
household of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household; they left only
their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. <sup>9</sup>
There also went up with him both chariots and horsemen; and it was a very great
company. <sup>10</sup> When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is
beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and sorrowful
lamentation; and he observed seven days mourning for his father. <sup>11</sup>
Now when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning at the
threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning for the
Egyptians.” Therefore it was named Abel-mizraim, which is beyond the Jordan.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Pharaoh even sent his servants and
elders with Joseph to bury Jacob. This was not a common burial. It was the
burial of a beloved patriarch of a nation. The Egyptians mourned so much that
the people of the land of Canaan were bewildered by it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">12</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Thus his sons did for him as he had charged
them; <sup>13</sup> for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried
him in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which Abraham had
bought along with the field for a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. <sup>14</sup>
After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt, he and his brothers,
and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So ended the age of the patriarchs.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all buried without seeing the fulfillment of the
promises to them. But they died in faith, fully expecting that these promises
would be brought about and that their eyes would see them. The sons of Israel
returned to Egypt, leaving no part of their household in Canaan. They had no
foothold in the Promised Land, but were living in a foreign land. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> When Joseph’s brothers saw that
their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and
pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!” <sup>16</sup> So
they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died,
saying, <sup>17</sup> ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg
you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you
wrong.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God
of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. <sup>18</sup> Then his
brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your
servants.” <sup>19</sup> But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I
in God’s place? <sup>20</sup> As for you, you meant evil against me, but God
meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many
people alive. <sup>21</sup> So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for
you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joseph’s response demonstrates a
great understanding of God’s sovereignty over the affairs of men. Although
Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery with evil intentions, God had good
intentions in their actions. He used their actions to bring about His good
result. So Joseph had no reason to hold a grudge against his brothers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">22</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now Joseph stayed in Egypt, he and
his father’s household, and Joseph lived one hundred and ten years. <sup>23</sup>
Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim’s sons; also the sons of Machir, the
son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees. <sup>24</sup> Joseph said to his
brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring
you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to
Isaac and to Jacob.” <sup>25</sup> Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear,
saying, “God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from
here.” <sup>26</sup> So Joseph died at the age of one hundred and ten years;</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <b><i>and he was embalmed and placed
in a coffin in Egypt.<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joseph died believing that the
covenant promises of God would come to pass. He knew that the sons of Israel
would stay in Egypt for many years, but would be delivered from Egypt by God in
order to go and possess the Promised Land. So he ordered them to carry his bones
with them during their departure. But until that time his remains would stay
with them in the land of Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-33820470584131226842019-12-07T09:56:00.003-08:002019-12-07T09:56:28.281-08:00Genesis 49 - Jacob's Prophecy <br />
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
article is part of a series of articles that resulted from my time preaching
through the book of Genesis. The commentary on the passage is my own, resulting
from hours of research and exegetical study. It is my intent to draw a biblical
theology chapter by chapter through the book of Genesis that places the events
of the narratives into the broad picture of the entire Bible, demonstrating the
progressiveness of theology and the sufficiency of every Word of Scripture. It
is my prayer that these articles are helpful to those seeking a better
understanding of the book of Genesis and of the Bible as a whole. The sermon
series and other resources can be found at </span></i><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.fbcroxana.com</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">God
appeared to Abraham and promised him a future kingdom where he and his
descendants would dwell forever. Jacob was the third generation of Abraham’s
covenant seed. He had transformed into a wise man of God, waiting expectantly
for all the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then Jacob summoned his sons and
said, “Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days
to come.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Gather together and hear, O sons of
Jacob;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And listen to Israel your father.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As Jacob was dying, he prophesied to
his sons and blessed them with a blessing appropriate for each one. So he
called them to assemble around him to hear what he had to tell them. Like many
prophecies, this blessing was given in poetic form for ease of memorization and
recitation. The scope of these words span the time of the patriarchs until the
Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob began with Reuben, the
firstborn son of Jacob and Leah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Reuben, you are my firstborn;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My might and the beginning of my
strength,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Preeminent in dignity and preeminent
in power.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Uncontrolled as water, you shall
not have preeminence,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because you went up to your father’s
bed;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then you defiled it—he went up to my
couch.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reuben should have been given the
preeminence in the household. He should have received both the double portion
and the kingly line. However, he disqualified himself by sleeping with Rachel’s
maid. So he received neither the kingly line nor the double blessing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Since Simeon and Levi, Leah’s second
and third sons, had joined together for slaughter, Jacob addressed them
together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Simeon and Levi are brothers;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Their swords are implements of
violence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Let my soul not enter into their
council;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let not my glory be united with their
assembly;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because in their anger they slew men,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And in their self-will they lamed
oxen.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">7</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Cursed be their anger, for it is
fierce;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And their wrath, for it is cruel.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I will disperse them in Jacob,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And scatter them in Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Simeon and Levi proved themselves to
be violent and unjust fools when they slaughtered the people of Shechem because
the prince of Shechem had raped their sister. On his deathbed, Jacob remembered
how murderous his sons were. He cursed their fierce anger and wrath, dispersing
their descendants in the land of Israel. When Israel conquered the land and
divided it among themselves, neither Simeon or Levi retained an inheritance.
The tribe of Simeon was swallowed up by the tribe of Judah, and Levi was dispersed
throughout the land as priests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Leah’s fourth son is addressed next: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">8</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Judah, your brothers shall praise
you;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Your hand shall be on the neck of
your enemies;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Your father’s sons shall bow down to
you.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">9</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Judah is a lion’s whelp;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From the prey, my son, you have gone
up.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He couches, he lies down as a lion,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And as a lion, who dares rouse him
up?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Judah’s growth is evident in the
narratives that focus on him. He was a conniving and murderous man who stopped
short of murdering his brother for the sake of making a profit. Over the years,
the LORD transformed him into a leader in the household of Jacob. So Jacob
prophesied that Judah would be praised among his brethren. He would be a great
warrior, having the fearsomeness of a lion. It is amazing that the LORD did not
disqualify Judah from having the kingly line because of his role in selling
Joseph into slavery. But in His grace and mercy he groomed him to be a leader
in Israel and to eventually bear the kings of Israel. From Judah would come the
promised seed of the woman (Gen 3:15), the Messiah who would deal with the
curse of sin and sit on the throne of Israel forever. Jacob describes the
Messiah:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">10</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “The scepter shall not depart from
Judah,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nor the ruler’s staff from between
his feet,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until Shiloh comes,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And to him shall be the obedience of
the peoples.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Though the scepter was first given to
a man from Benjamin, it was taken away from him and given to David of Judah.
King David and his sons ruled in Jerusalem until the captivity. Though it
seemed as though the scepter had departed, it had not; for Jesus was born, who
was called “The King of the Jews.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">11</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “He ties his foal to the vine,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And his donkey’s colt to the choice
vine;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He washes his garments in wine,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And his robes in the blood of grapes.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">12</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “His eyes are dull from wine,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And his teeth white from milk.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This describes unimaginable
prosperity. He does not need to search for old and dried out vines with which
to tie his donkey, for there is an abundance of choice vines. He is pictured as
washing his clothes in wine, meaning that wine is so abundant that it is used
for common chores. Wine and milk are in such abundance that His eyes and teeth
are changed because of it. These are the conditions that the Messiah will bring
about. He came first in humility, but He will return in glory to establish His
kingdom. He will restore the earth to its perfection and prosperity that it had
before the Fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob addressed Leah’s sixth son
next:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Zebulun will dwell at the seashore;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And he shall be a haven for ships,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And his flank shall be toward Sidon.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This could mean that Zebulun’s
territory will expand out to the seashore in the Millennial Kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob addressed Leah’s fifth son:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">14</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Issachar is a strong donkey,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lying down between the sheepfolds.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “When he saw that a resting place
was good<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And that the land was pleasant,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He bowed his shoulder to bear
burdens,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And became a slave at forced labor.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Issachar is pictured as a strong
donkey who sees that his land of rest is good and applies his back to the
burden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Next, Dan, the son of Bilhah is
addressed:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Dan shall judge his people,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As one of the tribes of Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">17</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Dan shall be a serpent in the way,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A horned snake in the path,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That bites the horse’s heels,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So that his rider falls backward.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Due to the idolatry and wickedness of
Dan, it becomes the truly ‘lost’ tribe. They are not part of the tribes that
are reformed in the Millennium or enter into the record of the ‘new heaven and
the new earth’ (Rev 7; 21:1).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now Jacob bursts out in a cryptic
phrase. In Hebrew poetry, the middle line is often very important, and gives
the main meaning of the entire poem. It is interesting that in a
prophetic/poetic blessing upon his sons concerning the last days, the middle
line is:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">18</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “For Your salvation I wait, O LORD.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob is looking toward the future
and awaiting the salvation that is from the LORD. Even more significant is that
he specifically says that he was awaiting God’s Yeshua. Well it is God’s Yeshua
who came to bring salvation and deliverance to God’s people and who will bring
about the awaited Kingdom of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Gad, the son of Zilpah is addressed
next:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">19</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “As for Gad, raiders shall raid him,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But he will raid at their heels.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The second son of Zilpah, Asher, is
addressed next:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “As for Asher, his food shall be
rich,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And he will yield royal dainties.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The second son of Bilhah, Naphtali,
is addressed next:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">21</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Naphtali is a doe let loose,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He gives beautiful words.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The son of Jacob’s favored wife,
Rachel is addressed next:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">22</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Joseph is a fruitful bough,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A fruitful bough by a spring;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Its branches run over a wall.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">23</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “The archers bitterly attacked him,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And shot at him and harassed him;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">24</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> But his bow remained firm,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And his arms were agile,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From the hands of the Mighty One of
Jacob<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(From there is the Shepherd, the
Stone of Israel),<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">25</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> From the God of your father who
helps you,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And by the Almighty who blesses you<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With blessings of heaven above,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Blessings of the deep that lies
beneath,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Blessings of the breasts and of the
womb.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">26</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “The blessings of your father<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have surpassed the blessings of my
ancestors<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Up to the utmost bound of the
everlasting hills;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">May they be on the head of Joseph,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And on the crown of the head of the
one distinguished among his brothers.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joseph would indeed become a fruitful
bough by a spring, as Ephraim will become the biggest population in Israel. Joseph
had endured many trials, but he had always remained firm and strong. I wonder
if this is where Paul got his picture of Satan firing flaming arrows. Out of all
of the brothers, Joseph is the one whose blessing is referred to as a blessing.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob heaps blessing upon Joseph, the
favored of the LORD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob’s youngest son, Benjamin, son
of Rachel, is addressed last:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">27</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the morning he devours the prey,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And in the evening he divides the
spoil.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Benjamin would be strong and
successful in warfare, but would have a tendency to be cruel. In Judges 20,
Benjamin nearly becomes extinct in an awful display of hostility towards the
tribe that was set in motion when a group of Benjamite homosexuals raped and
killed a concubine of a lecherous Levite.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">28</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> All these are the twelve tribes of
Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He
blessed them, every one with the blessing appropriate to him. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Having blessed his sons according to
their nature and future, he gives them instructions for his burial:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">29</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then he charged them and said to
them, “I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the
cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, <sup>30</sup> in the cave that
is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan,
which Abraham bought along with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a burial
site. <sup>31</sup> There they buried Abraham and his wife Sarah, there they
buried Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there I buried Leah— <sup>32</sup> the
field and the cave that is in it, purchased from the sons of Heth.” <sup>33</sup>
When Jacob finished charging his sons, he drew his feet into the bed and
breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thus ended the days of Jacob. He died
believing in the promises of the LORD God, having been transformed into a wise
man of God and patriarch of an enlarging household of the descendants of
Abraham. He was buried in the family tomb with his ancestors and his first
wife, Leah. His spirit was gathered together with all those who were saved by
faith in the LORD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-72245958090764636372019-12-07T09:55:00.001-08:002019-12-07T09:55:41.759-08:00Genesis 48 - Joseph's Double-Portion of Land<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
article is part of a series of articles that resulted from my time preaching
through the book of Genesis. The commentary on the passage is my own, resulting
from hours of research and exegetical study. It is my intent to draw a biblical
theology chapter by chapter through the book of Genesis that places the events
of the narratives into the broad picture of the entire Bible, demonstrating the
progressiveness of theology and the sufficiency of every Word of Scripture. It
is my prayer that these articles are helpful to those seeking a better
understanding of the book of Genesis and of the Bible as a whole. The sermon
series and other resources can be found at </span></i><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.fbcroxana.com</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The household of Israel had been
called out of the Promised Land of Canaan to Egypt by God through Joseph. There
was no contingent of people left in the land. There was no livestock. Every
member and part of Jacob’s household had moved to Egypt. All of this was
according to God’s word to Abraham that his descendants would live in a
different country (and be enslaved in that country) until the time of the
Amorite was complete. Now these things were happening, and the household of
Israel was settling in for a long wait. It would be more than four centuries
before they returned to the land which God had promised them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During this time, the household of
Israel would turn into a great nation. So Jacob called Joseph, his favored son,
in order to bless him with the double portion of the inheritance. This was the
portion normally accorded the firstborn. While Joseph was indeed the firstborn
of Jacob’s favored wife, Rachel, he was not the firstborn of the house of
Jacob. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now it came about after these things
that Joseph was told, “Behold, your father is sick.” So he took his two sons
Manasseh and Ephraim with him. <sup>2</sup> When it was told to Jacob, “Behold,
your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel collected his strength and sat up in
the bed. <sup>3</sup> Then Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me
at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, <sup>4</sup> and He said to me,
‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and numerous, and I will make you a company
of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you for an
everlasting possession.’ <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob remembered the words of God
which had been spoken to him many years beforehand. He had held onto these
promises, knowing that if God was truly God Almighty, He would fulfill them.
These promises that God gave to Jacob were the promises of the Abrahamic
Covenant. In part, the Abrahamic Covenant was God’s covenant with Himself to
give Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan for an everlasting
possession. Now Jacob had become a numerous household which would soon turn
into a large nation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now your two sons, who were born to
you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and
Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are. <sup>6</sup> But your
offspring that have been born after them shall be yours; they shall be called
by the names of their brothers in their inheritance. <sup>7</sup> Now as for
me, when I came from Paddan, Rachel died, to my sorrow, in the land of Canaan
on the journey, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I
buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this way, Jacob honored Rachel’s
memory: he gave Joseph the double portion of the inheritance. This double
portion is what would go to the firstborn. As his dearly-beloved wife, who was
not buried in the family’s burial cave at Machpelah, he wished to honor her
firstborn son with the inheritance. In order to do this, he counted Ephraim and
Manasseh as his own sons. However, neither Ephraim nor Manasseh would father
kings of Israel. That honor would go to the eldest qualified son of Leah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So Joseph and Jacob enter into the
formal ritual of the inheritance blessing:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">8</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he
said, “Who are these?” <sup>9</sup> Joseph said to his father, “They are my
sons, whom God has given me here.” So he said, “Bring them to me, please, that
I may bless them.” <sup>10</sup> Now the eyes of Israel were so dim from age
that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them close to him, and he kissed
them and embraced them. <sup>11</sup> Israel said to Joseph, “I never expected
to see your face, and behold, God has let me see your children as well.” <sup>12</sup>
Then Joseph took them from his knees, and bowed with his face to the ground. <sup>13</sup>
Joseph took them both, Ephraim with his right hand toward Israel’s left, and Manasseh
with his left hand toward Israel’s right, and brought them close to him. <sup>14</sup>
But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who
was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh’s head, crossing his hands,
although Manasseh was the firstborn. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Unlike his father, Isaac, Jacob was
willing to be obedient to the leading of God in blessing the secondborn son of
Joseph over the firstborn. He gave his blessing to Joseph by blessing his
children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">15</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> He blessed Joseph, and said,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“The God before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac walked,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The God who has been my shepherd all
my life to this day,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The angel who has redeemed me from
all evil,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Bless the lads;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And may my name live on in them,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And the names of my fathers Abraham
and Isaac;<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And may they grow into a multitude in
the midst of the earth.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How Jacob’s knowledge of God has
increased since he met Him at Bethel on his way to Paddan-aram! Now he knows
him not only as the God of his fathers, but as his very own shepherd who has redeemed
him from all evil. He prays to God to bless the boys and their ancestors by
making them into a large multitude in the earth. In other words, Jacob was
asking God that the Abrahamic Covenant would be fulfilled through them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">17</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> When Joseph saw that his father laid
his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him; and he grasped his
father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. <sup>18</sup>
Joseph said to his father, “Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn.
Place your right hand on his head.” <sup>19</sup> But his father refused and
said, “I know, my son, I know; he also will become a people and he also will be
great. However, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his
descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> He blessed them that day, saying,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“By you Israel will pronounce
blessing, saying,<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">‘May God make you like Ephraim and
Manasseh!’”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just as Jacob had predicted, Ephraim
became a very large people. Both Ephraim and Manasseh would become so large
that Jacob said that they would be the standard of enlargement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thus he put Ephraim before Manasseh. <sup>21</sup>
Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with
you, and bring you back to the land of your fathers. <sup>22</sup> I give you
one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite
with my sword and my bow.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here, Jacob clearly told Joseph that
he was giving him the double portion of the inheritance. It is clear that he
was thinking not only in terms of splitting his wealth among his twelve sons,
but the land that God had promised him. Jacob looked forward to the time that
his descendants would leave Egypt (when the iniquity of the Amorite was
completed) and conquer the land with sword and bow. Jacob also foretold that the
land would be split between the tribes named after his sons, and by his
adoption of Joseph’s sons he secured two portions of land for Joseph.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob matured in his faith in God
over the years of his sojourning in the land. He believed the promises, and
knew that God would surely fulfill them. It seems that he remembered that God
had told Abraham that his descendants would go into a foreign land for four
hundred years until the time of the Amorite was complete (Gen 15:16). Thus, he
was not surprised that his family had been moved completely out of the land of
Canaan. And he understood that his descendants would grow large and mighty in
order to conquer the Amorites and inhabit the land of Canaan, just as God had
promised him and Abraham and Isaac before him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So we can trust God to fulfill
everything that He has said. Though He delays, we continue to faithfully watch
and wait. One day, our Savior will appear from heaven and catch us up to Him.
On that day, we will begin to see the final fulfillment of everything that God
has spoken. The Abrahamic covenant will be brought to pass in its entirety, as
well as the other covenant promises of Scripture. Everything God has determined
to do will be done. Sin will be vanquished. The curse will be lifted. Christ
will reign forever over the earth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-72248808118873352312019-12-07T09:54:00.000-08:002019-12-07T09:54:09.299-08:00 Genesis 47 - The Blessing of Pharaoh<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
article is part of a series of articles that resulted from my time preaching
through the book of Genesis. The commentary on the passage is my own, resulting
from hours of research and exegetical study. It is my intent to draw a biblical
theology chapter by chapter through the book of Genesis that places the events
of the narratives into the broad picture of the entire Bible, demonstrating the
progressiveness of theology and the sufficiency of every Word of Scripture. It
is my prayer that these articles are helpful to those seeking a better
understanding of the book of Genesis and of the Bible as a whole. The sermon
series and other resources can be found at </span></i><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.fbcroxana.com</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh,
and said, “My father and my brothers and their flocks and their herds and all
that they have, have come out of the land of Canaan; and behold, they are in
the land of Goshen.” <sup>2</sup> He took five men from among his brothers and
presented them to Pharaoh. <sup>3</sup> Then Pharaoh said to his brothers,
“What is your occupation?” So they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are
shepherds, both we and our fathers.” <sup>4</sup> They said to Pharaoh, “We
have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’
flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, therefore, please
let your servants live in the land of Goshen.” <sup>5</sup> Then Pharaoh said
to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. <sup>6</sup> The
land of Egypt is at your disposal; settle your father and your brothers in the
best of the land, let them live in the land of Goshen; and if you know any
capable men among them, then put them in charge of my livestock.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joseph shrewdly guided his family
into a suitable land where they could live and prosper. Pharaoh graciously gave
the best of the land of Goshen to the family of Israel. He also had some of
their men put in charge of his livestock. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">7</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then Joseph brought his father Jacob
and presented him to Pharaoh; and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. <sup>8</sup> Pharaoh
said to Jacob, “How many years have you lived?” <sup>9</sup> So Jacob said to
Pharaoh, “The years of my sojourning are one hundred and thirty; few and
unpleasant have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years
that my fathers lived during the days of their sojourning.” <sup>10</sup> And
Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from his presence. <sup>11</sup> So Joseph
settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of
Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had ordered.
<sup>12</sup> Joseph provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s
household with food, according to their little ones.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Here was a meeting between the heads
of two nations. Though Egypt was more powerful than Israel, and had welcomed
Israel as refugees, it was Jacob who blessed Pharaoh…twice! Pharaoh, the ruler
of the most powerful nation at the time, deferred to Israel. Pharaoh recognized
God’s blessing on the life of Jacob and the wealth of his family, and was
blessed by Jacob. This is a picture of Israel’s role among the nations. In the
Abrahamic Covenant, God said that Israel would be a blessing to the nations. It
would happen as the nations recognized God’s great blessing upon Israel and as
they came to worship before Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because of his hospitality toward
Israel, Pharaoh became rich and powerful through Joseph’s wise actions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">13</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now there was no food in all the
land, because the famine was very severe, so that the land of Egypt and the
land of Canaan languished because of the famine. <sup>14</sup> Joseph gathered
all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan for
the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house.
<sup>15</sup> When the money was all spent in the land of Egypt and in the land
of Canaan, all the Egyptians came to Joseph and said, “Give us food, for why
should we die in your presence? For our money is gone.” <sup>16</sup> Then
Joseph said, “Give up your livestock, and I will give you food for your
livestock, since your money is gone.” <sup>17</sup> So they brought their
livestock to Joseph, and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses and
the flocks and the herds and the donkeys; and he fed them with food in exchange
for all their livestock that year. <sup>18</sup> When that year was ended, they
came to him the next year and said to him, “We will not hide from my lord that
our money is all spent, and the cattle are my lord’s. There is nothing left for
my lord except our bodies and our lands. <sup>19</sup> Why should we die before
your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land for food, and we and our
land will be slaves to Pharaoh. So give us seed, that we may live and not die,
and that the land may not be desolate.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">20</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> So Joseph bought all the land of
Egypt for Pharaoh, for every Egyptian sold his field, because the famine was
severe upon them. Thus the land became Pharaoh’s. <sup>21</sup> As for the
people, he removed them to the cities from one end of Egypt’s border to the
other. <sup>22</sup> Only the land of the priests he did not buy, for the
priests had an allotment from Pharaoh, and they lived off the allotment which
Pharaoh gave them. Therefore, they did not sell their land. <sup>23</sup> Then
Joseph said to the people, “Behold, I have today bought you and your land for
Pharaoh; now, here is seed for you, and you may sow the land. <sup>24</sup> At
the harvest you shall give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be your
own for seed of the field and for your food and for those of your households
and as food for your little ones.” <sup>25</sup> So they said, “You have saved
our lives! Let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s
slaves.” <sup>26</sup> Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt
valid to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth; only the land of the
priests did not become Pharaoh’s.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So Joseph made Pharaoh rich beyond
measure and gave Pharaoh possession of all the land of Egypt. Joseph was not
only wise in Pharaoh’s eyes, but in the eyes of the people as well. He was the
beloved ruler who had saved them from the famine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">27</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now Israel lived in the land of
Egypt, in Goshen, and they acquired property in it and were fruitful and became
very numerous. <sup>28</sup> Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years;
so the length of Jacob’s life was one hundred and forty-seven years.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During those seventeen years, he had
the chance to know Joseph and his sons. How great is the LORD for restoring
what had been lost and multiplying it as well! His ways are mysterious and
unknown. All that we, His people, can do is trust His wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now begins the deathbed scenes of
Jacob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">29</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> When the time for Israel to die drew
near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “Please, if I have found favor
in your sight, place now your hand under my thigh and deal with me in kindness
and faithfulness. Please do not bury me in Egypt, <sup>30</sup> but when I lie
down with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their
burial place.” And he said, “I will do as you have said.” <sup>31</sup> He
said, “Swear to me.” So he swore to him. Then Israel bowed in worship at the
head of the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God had promised Jacob that Joseph
would close his eyes and carry him back to the Promised Land. So now Jacob made
sure that Joseph knew that was what needed to happen. So Joseph swore that he
would take Jacob’s remains back to the cave that Abraham had bought. He would
not be buried beside his wife, Rachel, but beside his wife, Leah. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-21787216809041313272019-12-07T09:53:00.001-08:002019-12-07T09:53:20.058-08:00Genesis 46 - Joseph Moves to Egypt<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
article is part of a series of articles that resulted from my time preaching
through the book of Genesis. The commentary on the passage is my own, resulting
from hours of research and exegetical study. It is my intent to draw a biblical
theology chapter by chapter through the book of Genesis that places the events
of the narratives into the broad picture of the entire Bible, demonstrating the
progressiveness of theology and the sufficiency of every Word of Scripture. It
is my prayer that these articles are helpful to those seeking a better
understanding of the book of Genesis and of the Bible as a whole. The sermon
series and other resources can be found at </span></i><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.fbcroxana.com</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So Israel set out with all that he
had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father
Isaac. <sup>2</sup> God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said,
“Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” <sup>3</sup> He said, “I am God, the
God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you a
great nation there. <sup>4</sup> I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will
also surely bring you up again; and Joseph will close your eyes.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jacob took everything. He did not
leave a contingent in the Promised Land. Nor did he leave any possessions. As
Joseph had directed him, Jacob took his entire household to Egypt. When Jacob
had left the Promised Land to go to Paddan-Aram when he was younger, he had
taken nothing. But now he was leaving with a large family and a wealthy
household. Jacob stopped in Beersheba to worship the LORD. He had greatly
matured in His understanding of God through the years. God appeared to him to
comfort him (just as before) that He would go with him to Egypt and protect his
family in order to bring them back up again to the Promised Land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then Jacob arose from Beersheba; and
the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob and their little ones and their
wives in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. <sup>6</sup> They took
their livestock and their property, which they had acquired in the land of
Canaan, and came to Egypt, Jacob and all his descendants with him: <sup>7</sup>
his sons and his grandsons with him, his daughters and his granddaughters, and
all his descendants he brought with him to Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Abraham had escaped a famine by going
to Egypt. Now his grandson and all his descendants were doing the same. Whereas
Abraham had lied about Sarah in order to gain favor in Pharaoh’s eyes, Jacob
went into Egypt by Pharaoh’s invitation and with his blessing. God had prepared
the way for the blooming nation of Israel to find a welcoming home in a foreign
land outside of the land which He had promised to them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">8</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now these are the names of the sons
of Israel, Jacob and his sons, who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. <sup>9</sup>
The sons of Reuben: Hanoch and Pallu and Hezron and Carmi. <sup>10</sup> The
sons of Simeon: Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the
son of a Canaanite woman. <sup>11</sup> The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and
Merari. <sup>12</sup> The sons of Judah: Er and Onan and Shelah and Perez and
Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan). And the sons of Perez were
Hezron and Hamul. <sup>13</sup> The sons of Issachar: Tola and Puvvah and Iob
and Shimron. <sup>14</sup> The sons of Zebulun: Sered and Elon and Jahleel. <sup>15</sup>
These are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, with his
daughter Dinah; all his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three. <sup>16</sup>
The sons of Gad: Ziphion and Haggi, Shuni and Ezbon, Eri and Arodi and Areli. <sup>17</sup>
The sons of Asher: Imnah and Ishvah and Ishvi and Beriah and their sister
Serah. And the sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel. <sup>18</sup> These are the
sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and she bore to Jacob
these sixteen persons. <sup>19</sup> The sons of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph
and Benjamin. <sup>20</sup> Now to Joseph in the land of Egypt were born
Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On,
bore to him. <sup>21</sup> The sons of Benjamin: Bela and Becher and Ashbel,
Gera and Naaman, Ehi and Rosh, Muppim and Huppim and Ard. <sup>22</sup> These
are the sons of Rachel, who were born to Jacob; there were fourteen persons in
all. <sup>23</sup> The sons of Dan: Hushim. <sup>24</sup> The sons of Naphtali:
Jahzeel and Guni and Jezer and Shillem. <sup>25</sup> These are the sons of
Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and she bore these to Jacob;
there were seven persons in all. <sup>26</sup> All the persons belonging to
Jacob, who came to Egypt, his direct descendants, not including the wives of
Jacob’s sons, were sixty-six persons in all, <sup>27</sup> and the sons of
Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt were two; all the persons of the house of
Jacob, who came to Egypt, were seventy.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These seventy people would blossom
into a very large nation in the midst of Egypt. God indeed was with them to
bless them and protect them. It must have been hard for the covenant family to
sojourn in a different land, away from the land of promise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">28</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now he sent Judah before him to
Joseph, to point out the way before him to Goshen; and they came into the land
of Goshen. <sup>29</sup> Joseph prepared his chariot and went up to Goshen to
meet his father Israel; as soon as he appeared before him, he fell on his neck
and wept on his neck a long time. <sup>30</sup> Then Israel said to Joseph,
“Now let me die, since I have seen your face, that you are still alive.” <sup>31</sup>
Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and
tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who
were in the land of Canaan, have come to me; <sup>32</sup> and the men are
shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; and they have brought their
flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ <sup>33</sup> When Pharaoh
calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ <sup>34</sup> you shall say,
‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now,
both we and our fathers,’ that you may live in the land of Goshen; for every
shepherd is loathsome to the Egyptians.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In this way, the people of Israel
would live in land suitable to their vast flocks and herds. They would not be
dispersed through the land. Neither would they be tempted to assimilate into
the people of Egypt, for the Israelites were despicable to the people of Egypt
because of their shepherding lifestyle. Now the family was back together and
full of joy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2932873488758736949.post-37094041125527521372019-12-07T09:52:00.001-08:002019-12-07T09:52:31.160-08:00Genesis 45 - Joseph Reveals Himself<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
article is part of a series of articles that resulted from my time preaching
through the book of Genesis. The commentary on the passage is my own, resulting
from hours of research and exegetical study. It is my intent to draw a biblical
theology chapter by chapter through the book of Genesis that places the events
of the narratives into the broad picture of the entire Bible, demonstrating the
progressiveness of theology and the sufficiency of every Word of Scripture. It
is my prayer that these articles are helpful to those seeking a better
understanding of the book of Genesis and of the Bible as a whole. The sermon
series and other resources can be found at </span></i><a href="http://www.fbcroxana.com/"><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.fbcroxana.com</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">1 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then Joseph could not control himself
before all those who stood by him, and he cried, “Have everyone go out from
me.” So there was no man with him when Joseph made himself known to his
brothers. <sup>2</sup> He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the
household of Pharaoh heard of it. <sup>3</sup> Then Joseph said to his
brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not
answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After all that time, they learned
that they had not sold Joseph into hard slavery that resulted in his death. It
is impossible to understand the astonishment that they felt. It must have felt
as though Joseph had risen from the dead and become the ruler of Egypt. It is
no wonder they couldn’t answer him! They were afraid of him, for it was in his
power to do anything to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then Joseph said to his brothers,
“Please come closer to me.” And they came closer. And he said, “I am your
brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. <sup>5</sup> Now do not be grieved or
angry with yourselves, because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to
preserve life. <sup>6</sup> For the famine has been in the land these two
years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing
nor harvesting. <sup>7</sup> God sent me before you to preserve for you a
remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. <sup>8</sup>
Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a
father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of
Egypt. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Over the years, Joseph had come to
realize that God had a purpose in his enslavement. It had not been pleasant,
and had been downright shameful to say the least. But all of that fades in the
light of the bigger picture. Joseph knew that God was using him to preserve the
lives of the sons of Israel. Ironically, they are delivered from the Promised
Land into Egypt in order to partake of the best of the land. Joseph continued:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">9</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Hurry and go up to my father, and
say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt;
come down to me, do not delay. <sup>10</sup> You shall live in the land of
Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s
children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have. <sup>11</sup>
There I will also provide for you, for there are still five years of famine to
come, and you and your household and all that you have would be impoverished.”’
<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What a great and unexpected
deliverance for the household of Israel. They had come to Egypt because they
were starving in the land of Canaan. Now they see the providential working of
God to establish Joseph as the second-in-command of Egypt so that their
household would be welcomed to the land. It had to be unbelievable! To that
effect, Joseph said,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">12</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Behold, your eyes see, and the eyes
of my brother Benjamin see, that it is my mouth which is speaking to you. <sup>13</sup>
Now you must tell my father of all my splendor in Egypt, and all that you have
seen; and you must hurry and bring my father down here.” <sup>14</sup> Then he
fell on his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. <sup>15</sup>
He kissed all his brothers and wept on them, and afterward his brothers talked
with him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How many questions must have been
asked and stories have been told! What a sweet reunion between brothers who had
been separated for two decades. And now they had Joseph’s invite to bring their
father to Egypt. But how would the Egyptians receive the news that a large
household of the Hebrews (whom we have already observed prejudice toward) would
be moving to their land?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">16</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Now when the news was heard in
Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, it pleased Pharaoh and his
servants. <sup>17</sup> Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do
this: load your beasts and go to the land of Canaan, <sup>18</sup> and take
your father and your households and come to me, and I will give you the best of
the land of Egypt and you will eat the fat of the land.’ <sup>19</sup> Now you
are ordered, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones
and for your wives, and bring your father and come. <sup>20</sup> Do not
concern yourselves with your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is
yours.’”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">No amount of prejudice could overcome
Pharaoh’s gratefulness to Joseph. Without hesitation, Pharaoh sent wagons and
goods to Canaan so that the men could bring the entire household of Jacob down.
This was a generous move by Pharaoh, which greatly contrasts the adversity that
comes upon the sons of Israel at the Exodus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">21</span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Then the sons of Israel did so; and
Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh, and gave them
provisions for the journey. <sup>22</sup> To each of them he gave changes of
garments, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five
changes of garments. <sup>23</sup> To his father he sent as follows: ten
donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded
with grain and bread and sustenance for his father on the journey.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This was a tremendous present that
would serve to demonstrate the veracity of the brothers’ story. It would show
Jacob that Joseph’s wealth had far exceeded any possible calculations. It
showed that Joseph had no hard feelings toward any of his brothers. Moreover,
it foreshadowed the provision that Joseph would give to his family while they
lived together in Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><sup><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">24 </span></sup></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So he sent his brothers away, and as
they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the journey.” <sup>25 </sup>Then
they went up from Egypt, and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. <sup>26
</sup>They told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and indeed he is ruler
over all the land of Egypt.” But he was stunned, for he did not believe them. <sup>27
</sup>When they told him all the words of Joseph that he had spoken to them,
and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of
their father Jacob revived. <sup>28 </sup>Then Israel said, “It is enough; my
son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For twenty years, Jacob had probably
been in a deep and dark depression. No one can understand the pain of losing a
child until it happens. He probably fought hard to not believe that Joseph was
alive, lest he be disappointed and have to mourn him again. But the gifts and
the story were too convincing, and he rejoiced that Joseph was alive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Pastor Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04186000348023448050noreply@blogger.com0