THE LORD GOD SAID AS I WAS WITH MOSES SO I WILL BE WITH YOU

PROCLAMATION

“Now after the death of Moses the servant of The Lord it came to pass, that The Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, ‘Moses My servant is dead;  Now arise, go over this Jordan … As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee;  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”  Joshua 1:1-5 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God allowed Moses to climb to the top of Mount Nebo and to see the promised land, but He did not allow him to cross over into it. (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)  Moses died in Moab and The Lord God buried him at some unknown location in the valley. (Deuteronomy 34:5-7)  Joshua was filled with The Spirit because Moses had laid hands on him. (Deuteronomy 34:9)  After the Israelites had grieved for Moses for thirty days, (Deuteronomy 34:8) The Lord God spoke to Joshua and told him that he would lead the people into the promised land. (Joshua 1:1-6)  The Lord God also told Joshua to be strong and courageous, and to obey the law which Moses had given to them. (Joshua 1:7-9)  Joshua told the people that in three days they would cross the Jordan river and take possession of the land which God had promised them. (Joshua 1:10)  They responded to Joshua saying, as we obeyed Moses, so will we obey you. (Joshua 1:17-18)  There were no written Scriptures available to Moses, The Lord God spoke to him directly.  However, Moses had faithfully written down all that The Lord God had spoken to him so the first five Books of the Bible were written and available to Joshua.

 

APPLICATION

Moses was clearly a man of God, and so was Joshua.  Both of them were leaders of God’s people.  The Lord God was with them to counsel and advise them, to guide and direct them, and to protect and defend them.  The same is true today for the men of God who are leading God’s people.  However, this also applies to all of the leaders of God’s people who are believers.  That also includes the patriarchs and matriarchs who are believers and leaders of our families today.  When they die, it passes on to us to obey The Word of God and to lead our families.  As leaders of God’s people, even if we only lead or influence a few of them, we must also obey The Lord God.  If we will obey His Holy Word, then He will be with us as He was with Moses and Joshua.  He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5) 

 

DO NOT WORSHIP ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE LORD GOD

PROCLAMATION

“For thou shalt worship no other god; for The Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”  “Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.”  Exodus 34:14 and 34:17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God gave Moses specific instructions for the Israelites regarding the Sabbath Day, He gave him two tablets of stone on which were inscribed with the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 31:18)  However, because Moses stayed on the mountain of God for such a long time, the people made themselves a god, an idol cast in gold, in the shape of a calf, and worshiped it. (Exodus 32:1-8)  When Moses came down from the mountain of God and saw the golden calf and the people drinking and dancing, he threw the stone tablets at them and then he destroyed the golden calf. (Exodus 32:19-20)  Then he said, “Whoever is for The Lord, come to me.”  All those who did not come to him were killed. (Exodus 32:26-29)  Then Moses chiseled out two smooth stone tablets, like the one he had broken, and went back up to the mountain of God. (Exodus 34:1-5)  This time when Moses came down the mountain his face was radiant and the people feared him and they listened to him. (Exodus 34:29-35)  Then the Israelites gathered all of the materials as The Lord God had instructed and the built the tabernacle (Exodus 36:8-38), the Arc of The Covenant (Exodus 37:1-9), and all of the other things as He had instructed them. (Exodus 37:10 through 40:33)

 

APPLICATION

The first of the Ten Commandments is: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3)  In His explanation of the second of the Ten Commandments He said, “… for I, The Lord your God, am a jealous God …” (Exodus 20:5)  Here in this text, He is reiterating that He is jealous, and that He wants nothing to be worshiped but Him.  Unfortunately, today some people worship other gods, and some people worship other people as their god.  Some people worship their spouse, their loved one, their children, or their grandchildren.  Some people even worship their cars, their homes, or some other material object which they possess.  Worship of anything other than The Lord God is a sin, and that offends His jealous nature.

 

GRACIOUS TO WHOMEVER HE WANTS TO

PROCLAMATION

“And he said, ‘I beseech Thee, show me Thy glory.’  And He said, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of The Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.’  And He said, ‘Thou canst not see My face; for there shall no man see Me, and live.’ ”  Exodus 33:18-19 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God told Moses to lead the people away from Mount Sinai to the land which He had promised to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob.  He said that He would send an angel before them to drive out the current inhabitants, but He would not go with them because they were a stiff-necked people and He might destroy them. (Exodus 33:1-3)  The people mourned when Moses told them what The Lord God had said. (Exodus 33:4-6)  Then Moses pitched the tent which was the tabernacle some distance away from the camp and there he met with The Lord.  Whenever the people saw the cloudy pillar at the entrance to the tabernacle, they knew that The Lord God was present and speaking with Moses.  No man approached the tabernacle, they all worshiped God, every man standing in the doorway of his own tent. (Exodus 33:7-10)  While talking to God, Moses asked Him to show him His glory.  The Lord God told him that no man can see His face and live. (Exodus 33:11-20)  He told Moses that He would be gracious to whomever He wanted to, and He would show mercy to whomever He wanted to show mercy.  Then He told Moses that He would hide him in the cleft of a rock and pass by allowing him to see His back side. (Exodus 33:19-23) 

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God is good all of the time.  He is gracious and merciful, and He shares His grace and mercy with whomever He chooses to share them with.  They are both gifts from God, we have done nothing to merit either one of them.  Because of our limited capacity for understanding, we sometimes we ask The Lord God for things which are not in our best interest.  Since He knows all, He may choose to give us something that is different from what we asked for because it will be better for us.  We need to learn to thank Him for the doors which He closed and protected us from, as well as for the doors of opportunity which He opened for us. 

 

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?

PROCLAMATION

“Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, ‘Who is on The Lord’s side?  Let him come to me.’  And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves unto him.”  Exodus 32:26 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When The Lord God finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, He gave him two tablets of stone upon which He had inscribed the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 31:18)  Then The Lord told Moses to go down the mountain for the people had corrupted themselves. (Exodus 32:7-8)  Moses had been up on the mountain for forty days (Exodus 24:18) and the people did not know what had happened to him. (Exodus 32:1)  So the people told Aaron to make them a god, and he did.  He collected the gold jewelry from the people and made a golden calf.  Then Aaron built an altar in front of the golden calf and proclaimed that they have a feast to honor their new god.  The people were eating and drinking (Exodus 32:6) and running around naked. (Exodus 32:25)  Moses came down the mountain carrying the two stone tablets and met up with Joshua and they could hear the noise coming from the camp. (Exodus 32:15-18)  When Moses saw the golden calf, he threw the stone tablets down and broke them, then he destroyed the golden calf. (Exodus 32:19-20)  Afterwards he chastised Aaron then asked to people to choose which side they were on.  Those who did not come to him and say that they were on The Lord’s side were slain that day. (Exodus 32:21-28)  Moses told those who remained to consecrate themselves and that he would go back up the mountain to The Lord to make an atonement for their sin. (Exodus 32:29-35)

 

APPLICATION

How quickly we forget what The Lord God has done for us and how quickly we return to our sinful worldly ways.  Sometimes we act as if God cannot see what we are doing.  We say things like, “What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas.”  It angers The Lord God when we turn our back on Him and put “other gods” or whatever we worship before Him. (Exodus 32:10)  We will have to decide if we are on The Lord’s side or not.  We cannot serve two masters. (Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13)  Please choose wisely because there will be very severe consequences for those who make the wrong choice.

 

REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY AND KEEP IT HOLY

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, ‘Verily My sabbaths ye shall keep;’ For it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am The Lord that doth sanctify you.’ ”  Exodus 31:12-13 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God gave them the Ten Commandments and the laws, He told them that He was sending an angel to guard them, and to guide them to the place that He had prepared for them. (Exodus 23:20)  Then He confirmed the covenant that He had made with Moses. (Exodus 24:1-4)  After that He gave them specific instructions for the making of The Arc of The Covenant (Exodus 25:10-30), the making of the tabernacle (Exodus 26:1-36), the making of the altar (Exodus 27:1-8), and for the courtyard of the tabernacle. (Exodus 27:9-19)  The Lord God also gave them specific instructions regarding the making of the garments for the priests (Exodus 28:1-43), and regarding the consecration of the priests. (Exodus 29:1-46)  Then He gave them instructions for the making of an altar of incense (Exodus 30:1-10), a basin for washing (Exodus 30:17-21), and for the use of anointing oil and incense. (Exodus 30:22-38)  Then The Lord God gave them specific instructions regarding keeping the Sabbath Day holy. (Exodus 31:12-18)

 

APPLICATION

After giving the people of God instructions regarding how they should worship Him, The Lord God told the Israelites to remember the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy.  This He repeated from the Ten Commandments, (Exodus 20:8-11) He emphasized its importance to Him, and He expounded upon it. (Exodus 31:14-18)  The Sabbath Day, which is the seventh day of the week, would be our current Saturday.  Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, The Christ, rose from the dead on the first day of the week, on Sunday.  The church began on the day of Pentecost.  The feast of Pentecost began on the day after the Sabbath, on Sunday.  As Christians we now celebrate Sunday as the Israelites celebrated the Sabbath.  Sunday is to be a day of rest and worship, and not a day of work.  It is to be a day of celebrating The Lord and fellowshipping with other believers.  This is a day for corporate praise and worship.  To God be the glory for He is worthy of our praise, honor, and worship.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

PROCLAMATION

“I am The Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt have not other gods before Me … Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house … nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.”  Exodus 20:2-17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the Israelites had crossed the wilderness and come to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God, they camped near it. (Exodus 18:5 and 19:1)  Moses went up into the mountain of God and came back down with messages for the people several times (Exodus 19:3-7, 19:8, 19:14, and 19:20-22) before coming down with the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:1-18)  The Lord God also gave to Moses instructions and laws for the Israelites regarding idols and alters (Exodus 20:22-26), Hebrew servants (Exodus 21:1-11), personal injuries (Exodus 21:12-36), protection of property (Exodus 22:1-15), social responsibility (Exodus 22:16-31), justice and mercy (Exodus 23:1-9), and the Sabbath. (Exodus 23:10-13)  The Ten Commandments were written on tablets of stone. (Exodus 24:12)  The last time that Moses went up into the mountain of God, he stayed for forty days. (Exodus 24:15-18)

 

APPLICATION

When The Lord God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, He knew that the people then and now would not be able to keep them.  We were to use them as a mirror to show ourselves that we were sinners who fell short of God’s Word. (Romans 3:23)  We sin with our actions and words, and even when we have sinful thoughts we have committed a sin. (Matthew 5:28)  Additionally, The Bible teaches us that if we have broken one of these commandments, we are just as sinful as if we had broken all of them. (James 2:10)  The Ten Commandments are: we should have no other gods (Exodus 20:2-3), not make any images of God (Exodus 20:4-6), not use God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7), remember to keep the Sabbath Day holy (Exodus 20:8-11), honor our father and mother (Exodus 20:12); and that we should not kill (Exodus 20:13), commit adultery (Exodus 20:14), steal (Exodus 20:15), lie (Exodus 20:16), or covet anything that belongs to our neighbor. (Exodus 20:17)  We needed the Ten Commandments because we had to be shown that we were lost sinners and that we needed a savior.

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

PROCLAMATION

“And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.  And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether of the mount.”  Exodus 19:16-17 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  On the first day of the third month after the children of Israel had left Egypt, they arrived at the foot of Mount Sinai in the desert of Sinai. (Exodus 19:1-2)  The Lord God called Moses and told him to come up to Him on the mountain.  Moses went up the mountain and God gave him a message for the people. (Exodus 19:3-6)  When Moses came back down the mountain, he met with the elders and told them what thus saith The Lord.  They agreed to do all that The Lord had spoken, and Moses returned up the mountain to give the words of the people to The Lord. (Exodus 19:7-8)  Then The Lord told Moses to tell the people to consecrate themselves, and He would come down Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.  He also told Moses to set boundaries around the foot of the mountain that the people were not to cross. (Exodus 19:9-12)  On the third day, a thick cloud covered Mount Sinai and there was thunder and lightning, and a very loud trumpet blast, and the people trembled. (Exodus 19:16)  There was smoke billowing up from the mountain because The Lord descended upon it in a fire.  The whole mountain began to quake violently. (Exodus 19:17-19)  And The Lord again called Moses to come up mountain, and he went up and spoke with Him.  Then He sent Moses back down to speak to the people. (Exodus 19:20-25)

 

APPLICATION

When we pray, we are talking to God.  The Holy Bible is The Word of God and it represent God talking to us.  Many of us have heard “the old folks” say that we should be still and be quiet during a storm when there is thunder and lightning because God is talking.  That saying was based upon this Bible verse. (Exodus 19:16)  Many Bible scholars believe that this was a sermon preached by The Lord God directly to the people in the wilderness. (Exodus 19:16-18)  Today, The Lord God speaks to us whenever we read His Holy Word.

 

EVEN LEADERS NEED TO LISTEN TO GOOD ADVICE

PROCLAMATION

“Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee; Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God; And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shall show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens; And let them judge the people at all seasons; and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge; so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.”  Exodus 18:19-22 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the defeat of the Amalekites, Jethro the father-in-law of Moses came to visit him.  He brought with him Zipporah, the wife of Moses, and their two sons Gershom and Eliezer. (Exodus 18:1-6)  Moses told Jethro all that The Lord God had done unto Pharaoh and how He had delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  Jethro rejoiced for all of the goodness of The Lord.  Then he offered a sacrifice unto God. (Exodus 18:7-12)  The next day, Moses sat and judged the people from morning until evening.  Jethro saw this and told Moses that this was not good.  Then he gave Moses some advice on how he ought to change the way the people were judged. (Exodus 18:17-22)  Moses listened to his father-in-law and took his advice. (Exodus 18:23-27)

 

APPLICATION

All of us should listen to good advice.  Even those leaders who are in charge should listen to the advice of wise counsel.  Leaders should surround themselves with wise people and then listen to their suggestions.  Sometimes the old traditional ways that we have always done things needs to change to a more efficient way of doing things.  However, when we give advice, or correct, or offer constructive criticism, we should do so in private.  We should choose our words carefully in order to help people and build them up, not to embarrass them or tear them down.   

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO HELP THE MAN OF GOD

PROCLAMATION

“… When Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, one on the one side and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady ...”  Exodus 17:11-12 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  While they were in the wilderness, the Israelites wandered from place to place as The Lord God directed them.  When the camped in Rephidim, there was no water for them to drink and again they began to murmur against Moses. (Exodus 17:1-3)  Then Moses prayed unto The Lord and He said, “… smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it …” (Exodus 17:4-6)  While they were camped in Rephidim, the Amalekites came and attacked them. (Exodus 17:8)  Moses sent Joshua and some of the men out to fight them.  He said that he would stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God and raise his hands. (Exodus 17:9-10)  Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill with him.  While his hands were held up, the Israelites were winning; but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites prevailed.  By raising up his hands, whether in prayer or praise, Moses acknowledged that The Lord God is in control.  When Moses grew tired physically from holding up his hands, they helped him by holding them up.  Ultimately, Joshua and his men defeated the Amalekites. (Exodus 17:10-13)

 

APPLICATION

Pastors, preachers, ministers, and all men of God are human and from time to time they need a little help.  They may need physical help during illness, or periods of weakness; or they may need psychological and emotional support.  Even the strong men among us occasionally needs, and appreciates, a little encouragement. (Deuteronomy 1:38 and 3:28)  We have heard about “the Amen corner” in church, that small group of supporters who offer encouragement to the preacher when he is presenting The Word of God.  They do a good work.  Telling him that the message he delivered helped you, can mean a lot to the man of God.  A kind word spoken to him every now and then can help him to keep on going. (2 Chronicles 10:7)  Actually, it is The Holy Spirit of God who is doing the work but He is using and working through him.  There is a special blessing in store for those who even give the man of God a glass of water. (Matthew 10:41-42)  When we help him, he is able to help others and advance the kingdom of God. 

BREAD FROM HEAVEN

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel; speak unto them, saying, ‘At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread;’ and ye shall know that I am The Lord your God.’  And it came to pass, at even the quails came up, and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.”  Exodus 16:11-13 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Moses then led the children of Israel into the desert, they soon they forgot about the miracles they had just witnessed, the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, and the drowning of Pharaoh’s army, and the changing of the bitter water of Marah into sweet water that was fit to drink.  After they left Elim, the people again began to murmur against  Moses and Aaron. (Exodus 16:2-3)  The Lord God told Moses He heard their murmuring.  Then He rained down bread, manna, from heaven for them to eat in the morning (Exodus 16:4-5 and 16:31) and provided them with meat, in the form of quail, in the evening. (Exodus 16:13)  He did this for them daily, except on the Sabbath. (Exodus 16:21-27)  They wandered about in the desert for forty years, from place to place as The Lord God directed them. (Exodus 16:31-35)

 

APPLICATION

Oh, how soon we forget what The Lord has done for us.  We treat The Lord God like the worldly people treat each other by asking, like the Janet Jackson song, “What have you done for me lately?”  The people of God should not ask Him that question.  We know that our very existence, waking up, each breath and heartbeat are all blessings from God.  Not to mention that we are blessed to have some material things, our family and friends, and those who love us.  The Lord God has provided us an abundance of blessings, blessings upon blessings. (Proverbs 28:20)  We may not have or ever get all that we want, but He will supply all of our needs. (Philippians 4:19)  Jesus, The Christ, said, ‘I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever …” (John 6:51)

 

THE LORD PROVIDES FOR HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; And they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter … And the people murmured against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’  And he cried unto The Lord; and The Lord showed him a tree, which when he cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet …”  Exodus 15:22-25 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After they crossed the Red Sea, they celebrated with songs of praise unto The Lord. (Exodus 15:1-21)  Then the Israelites went three days into the wilderness of Shur without water.  When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water because it was bitter, and the people began to murmur against Moses. (Exodus 15:22-24)  He prayed to The Lord and He showed Moses a tree which when he cast it into the waters of Marah, the water changed from bitter to sweet. (Exodus 15:25)  When they left Marah they came to Elim, where they found twelves wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped by the waters of Elim. (Exodus 15:27)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God not only protected His people, but He also provided for them.  God also offers us protection and provisions.  He is able to supply all of our needs. (Philippians 4:19)  He knows what we need before we even ask for it. (Matthew 6:8)  God cares for His own.  He can change bad to good, and bitter to sweet.  He doesn’t do more for us because of our behavior.  He said, ‘If My people, which are called by My name …;’ if we would humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, then He would hear us. (2 Chronicles 7:14) 

 

THE LORD WILL FIGHT OUR BATTLES

PROCLAMATION

“And Moses said unto the people, ‘Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of The Lord, which He will show to you today; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them no more forever.  The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.’ ”  Exodus 14:13-14 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When the Israelites left Egypt, The Lord God told Moses to have them make camp between Migdol and the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:1-2)  The Lord God again hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he took his army of chariots and horses and pursued the Israelites. (Exodus 14:5-9)  When the children of Israel saw the Egyptians coming after them, they were afraid. (Exodus 14:10-12)  Moses told them to fear not, they would not see the Egyptians ever again.  He said that The Lord God would fight for them. (Exodus 14:13-14)  The angle of God which had been leading them, moved to a position behind them and blocked the path of the Egyptians. (Exodus 14:19-20)  Then God parted the Red Sea with a strong east wind which blew all night and the next day the Israelites crossed over the sea on dry land between walls of water on their right and left. (Exodus 14:21-22)  After they crossed, the Egyptians pursued them and The Lord let the waters of the parted Red Sea return to normal and Pharaoh’s army and his horses all drowned. (Exodus 14:23-28)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God protected His people from an army which they could not defeat with a pillar of fire.  He made a way out of no way when they were in an impossible situation by parting the Red Sea.  He fought a battle for them and defeated an army which they were not prepared to fight by drowning Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea.  There are some battles which we are not prepared to fight.  Those battles The Lord God will fight for us.  Some battles are not against people, but are against principalities, and evil powers, and wicked spirits. (Ephesians 6:12)  That is why we need to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17) and just stand.  We need to stand still and behold the power of our God. (Exodus 14:13, 2 Chronicles 20:17, and Ephesians 6:14)  The Lord God will take care of His people, including all believers.  He did it then, and He can do it again.

HEADING TOWARDS THE PROMISED LAND

 

HEADING TOWARDS THE PROMISED LAND

 

PROCLAMATION

“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go … God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea … And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him … And The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light …”  Exodus 13:17-21 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The day after they ate The Passover meal, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt heading towards the Red Sea. (Exodus 13:15-21)  The Passover meal was to be eaten with unleavened bread. (Exodus 13:3 and 13:6-10)  Moses was told to make sure that the firstborn males were circumcised and consecrated to The Lord. (Exodus 13:1) 

 

APPLICATION

When The Lord God led the children of Israel out of Egypt, He did not lead them on the shortest route.  He led them towards the Red Sea through the wilderness. (Exodus 13:17)  As we are led to the promised land, the road may be difficult and beset with tribulations.  However, He will be with us, and there is nothing that we will encounter that He cannot handle.  So, wherever He leads us, we should gladly follow because He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. (John 14:6)  We cannot make it to the promised land without Him.

 

THE LORD PROTECTS HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, ‘What mean ye by this service?’  That ye shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of The Lord’s Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses.’  And the people bowed the head and worshipped.”  Exodus 12:26-27 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God told Moses what to say to Pharaoh in order for him to let the people of Israel go free to worship Him. (Exodus 7:1-2)  He also told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 7:3-5)  The Lord God brought ten separate plagues on the land of Egypt and after the first nine plagues Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.  Only after the tenth and final plague, the death of the firstborn sons, did Pharaoh let the people of Israel go. (Exodus 12:30-32)  The Lord God protected His own people and the Israelites were not affected by any of the plagues. (Exodus 8:22, 9:4, 9:26, 10:23 and 12:12-13)  On the night when the tenth plague killed all of the firstborn sons of Egypt, The Lord God passed over the homes of the Israelites who had the blood of a lamb smeared on the sides and tops of the doorframes. (Exodus 12:7 and 12:12-13)  Even unto this day they still celebrate “The Passover” and explain it to their children. (Exodus 12:25-27)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God protects His people and that includes all believers.  He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  There may be danger all around us, but The Lord God protects believers from dangers seen, and unseen.  That upsetting delay that occurred may have kept us from being involved in an accident.  Sometimes we are involved in accidents but walk away unharmed.  We are blessed in more ways than we can count, and by things that we take for granted.  We may not be in an ideal situation but things could be a lot worse.  We need to acknowledge God’s presence in our lives (Proverbs 3:6) and thank Him for blessing us and keeping us.  Death has passed us by a number of times and we should be grateful for the protective covering of the blood of Christ over our lives. (Exodus 12:23)

 

THE PLAGUE OF DEATH TO THE FIRSTBORN

PROCLAMATION

“And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.”  Exodus 11:5 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the nine plagues which The Lord God allowed Moses to bring upon Egypt, Pharaoh refused to let the people of God leave Egypt.  Moses told Pharaoh that the tenth and final plague would be the death of the firstborn son of all of Egypt, including Pharaoh, his officers, his servants, his soldiers, and even his cattle. (Exodus 11:5)  However, even after having witnessed the nine other plagues, Pharaoh still would not listen to the warning which Moses gave him. (Exodus 11:9-10) 

 

APPLICATION

There are times when we are warned that our course will result in a negative outcome, but we ignore the warning and proceed on as we had planned.  The result of which is usually disaster on our part that could have been avoided.  The Word of God tells us the consequences of our sin and disbelief but some of us insist on continuing on our sinful course.  Those whose name is not written in The Lamb’s Book of Life will spend eternity suffering in hell. (Revelation 20:15)  Heed the warning while you still have time.  Repent, those of you who do not believe, the end is near and the kingdom of God is at hand. (Mark 1:15)

 

DECEITFULLY AND REPEATEDLY LIED

PROCLAMATION

“Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, ‘I have sinned against The Lord your God, and against you.  Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat The Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death’ … And The Lord turned a mighty west wind, which took away the locusts … But The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.”  Exodus 10:16-20 (KJV)  

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After each plague, Pharaoh said to Moses and Aaron, pray to The Lord your God to end this plague and I will let your people go.  However, Pharaoh was deceitful and he repeatedly lied to Moses.  Each time when the plague ended and he saw some relief from it, he refused to let the people leave. (Exodus 8:8-15, 8:25-32, 10:8-11, 10:16-20, and 10:24-28) 

 

APPLICATION

The Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) and it also says that “… all men are liars.” (Psalm 116:11)  However, some people in this world are so deceitful, that they will lie to you, face to face and eye to eye, and tell you that they will do something, knowing full well that they have no intention of ever doing it.  They couldn’t care less that lying is a sin. (Exodus 20:16 and Matthew 19:18)  The Bible says that there is a special place in hell for all liars. (Revelation 21:8)  It is wrong to intentionally deceive someone.  In fact, legally, the premeditation of a crime makes it a greater offence.  The devil is referred to as “the deceiver of the whole world.” (Revelation 12:9)  He is the father of lies. (John 8:44)  In His Sermon on the Mount, Christ advised to keep our conversations brief because the more we say, the more likely we are to tell a lie. (Matthew 5:37)  The Lord hates a lying tongue; it is an abomination to Him. (Proverbs 6:16-17)  But “oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” (Walter Scott)

HARD HEARTED PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as The Lord had spoken unto Moses.”  Exodus 9:12 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let the Israelites leave Egypt even after all of the wonders He would give Moses the power to perform. (Exodus 4:21 and 7:3)  Just as The Lord God said it would happen, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened after each of the nine plagues that Moses performed. (Exodus 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, 9:7, 9:12, 9:34, 10:20, and 10:27) 

 

APPLICATION

Some people are hard-headed and just plain stubborn.  While some people are hard-hearted and not capable of pity or feelings for others.  They are uncaring, unsympathetic, and unloving individuals.  When people who know of God but have no feelings or concern about The Lord God, and are corrupt in their way of thinking, God can turn them over to their corrupt and reprobate mind and then they are unable to change. (Romans 1:28)  As believers it is our job to tell people about Christ.  If the people will not believe us, or hear us, or even receive us, then we are to leave them alone, shake the dust off of our feet, and keep on stepping. (Mark 6:11)  If they do not want to listen to us, there is nothing we can do for them except pray for them.  

 

LET MY PEOPLE GO SO THEY MAY WORSHIP ME

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord spake unto Moses, ‘Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith The Lord, Let My people go, that they may serve Me.’ ”  Exodus 8:1 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Moses and Aaron again asked Pharaoh to let the people of God go so that they could worship Him, but The Lord God had harden Pharaoh’s heart and he refused.  Through the power of God, Moses released nine plagues on Egypt but Pharaoh would not let the people go.  First, the Nile river was turned into blood. (Exodus 7:17-24)  Second, frogs overran Egypt including Pharaoh’s palace. (Exodus 8:1-15)  Third, there was a plague of gnats. (Exodus 8:16-19)  Fourth, there was a plague of flies. (Exodus 8:20-32)  Fifth, there was a plague on the livestock which killed all the Egyptian horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats. (Exodus 9:1-7)  Sixth, was the plague of boils on the skin of all of the Egyptians. (Exodus 9:8-12)  Seventh, was the plague of hail which killed people and animals caught outside and destroyed the trees and plants. (Exodus 9:13-35)  Eighth, there was a plague of locusts which devoured everything growing in the fields and everything green that was left after the hail. (Exodus 10:1-20)  Ninth, was the plague of darkness over Egypt for three days. (Exodus 10:21-29)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God wanted the people to be free from slavery so that they could worship Him. (Exodus 7:16, 8:1, 8:20, 9:1, 9:13, and 10:3)  The Lord God freed us from the control of sin for the same reason, so that we could worship Him.  Unfortunately, as believers we still sin even though we are not under the control of sin.  However, our sins should not interfere with our worship.  No person or thing should keep us from serving The Lord. 

 

USE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for you;’ then thou shall say unto Aaron, ‘Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.’ ”  Exodus 7:8-9 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Moses spoke to The Lord God and said that he had made things worse for the people (Exodus 5:22-23) and God gave him a message for the people (Exodus 6:1-8) but the people would not listen to Moses. (Exodus 6:9)  Then He told Moses and Aaron to go back to Pharaoh, and Moses questioned Him by asking, if the people will not listen to me why should Pharaoh listen to me? (Exodus 6:28-30)  Then The Lord God said, ‘I have made thee a god to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. (Exodus 7:1)  He said that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and even after multiple signs he will not let the people go.  But eventually the Egyptians will know that He is The Lord God and will let the people go. (Exodus 7:2-5)  Moses and Aaron did as God had told them to do, and yet Pharaoh would not listen to them. (Exodus 7:6-25) 

 

APPLICATION

The staff of Moses became a snake and consumed the staffs of Pharaoh’s officials which had also become snakes. (Exodus 7:10-12)  Later Moses used his staff to turn the Nile River into blood. (Exodus 7:20-21)  Moses believed and he used his staff to perform miracles.  Sometimes we feel that because we don’t have much that we can’t do very much.  However, The Lord God has given each of us a gift. (1 Corinthians 7:7; 2 Timothy 1:6; and 1 Peter 4:10)  The Holy Spirit of God has given every man a gift (1 Corinthians 12:7-12) so that we can work within the body of Christ.  We just need to use what we have been given to do what The Lord God has for us to do.  If, by chance, you are unaware of your gift, pray and ask God to reveal it to you, and to give you the courage to use it to His glory.

GOD PROMISES DELIVERANCE

PROCLAMATION

“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, ‘I am The Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched  out arm, and with great judgments.’ ”  Exodus 6:6 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Chapter six of The Bible Book of Exodus is a continuation of the end of chapter five.  It is the answer to the prayer that Moses prayed at the end of the chapter. (Exodus 5:22-23)  The Lord God said to Moses, “Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh.” (Exodus 6:1)  Then He said that when He appeared unto Abraham, and unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, He identified Himself as God Almighty.  He did not tell them that His name was JEHOVAH. (Exodus 6:2-3)  He told Moses that He remembered the covenant and He has heard their groaning. (Exodus 6:4-5)  Then He told Moses to tell them the He will bring them out of Egypt with great judgments and bring them to the land which He swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. (Exodus 6:6-8)  When Moses told them this, but they would not listen to him.  The Lord told Moses to go again to Pharaoh and tell him to let the people of Israel go.  Moses replied that if the Israelites will not listen to him, why then would Pharaoh listen to him. (Exodus 6:9-12)  After recording the genealogies of Moses and Aaron, (Exodus 6:14-25) The Lord God again told Moses to tell Pharaoh what He says, and again Moses questions Him. (Exodus 6:28-30)

 

APPLICATION

It is not clear why The Bible repeats itself, or why The Lord God repeats a message to us.  In the world of education it is said that if something is repeated in class, it is important.  If it is repeated a third time, then you know it will be on the test.  A professor in medical school told the class, you guys are intelligent and you don’t understand or remember everything that you hear the first time that you hear it; so, repeat the information that you give to your patients.  Maybe it is because the message is not being received that The Lord God keeps repeating it.  The Bible keeps telling us that deliverance is coming.  It also repeatedly says, “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

  

MAKE BRICKS WITHOUT STRAW

PROCLAMATION

“And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, ‘Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.  And the tale of bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof …’ ”  Exodus 5:6-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After meeting with the elders of Israel, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him that The Lord God said, “Let My people go.”  Pharaoh said that he did not know this God and he would not let Israel go. (Exodus 5:1-2)  He was upset that they wanted the people to stop working for a three day journey into the wilderness to go worship their God.  So, he ordered the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite overseers in charge of the people to stop supplying them with the straw which they used to make bricks, and said that their quota of bricks must be the same as before. (Exodus 5:3-9)  After the people were not able to meet their quotas, the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh (Exodus 5:15-16) and he said that the Israelite people were lazy and they should get back to work and produce the same quota of bricks. (Exodus 5:17-19)  When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron and told them that they had made their situation worse.  Being blamed for the increased burden on the people, Moses turned to The Lord God in prayer. (Exodus 5:20-23)

 

APPLICATION

Unfortunately, we are a very impatient people.  We ask The Lord God for something and we expect to receive it immediately.  Even that which He has promised us will not be given to us when we want it, but we will receive it according to His plan and timeframe.  Some of the time our bad situation will get worse before it gets better.  However, God is still in control of things.  We just need to learn to wait on The Lord. (Psalm 27:14)  Patience is a skill which must be learned and acquired.  Our patience is produced by going through trials. (James 1:3-4)

 

BELIEVE AND OBEY EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord said unto Moses in Midian, ‘Go, return to Egypt; for all the men are dead which sought thy life.’  And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.”  Exodus 4:19-20 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After The Lord God told Moses that He was going to send him into Egypt to tell Pharaoh to let His people go, Moses asked, “What if they do not believe me?”  The Lord then showed Moses several signs to show the people so that they would believe that The God of their fathers had appeared to him and spoken to him. (Exodus 4:1-9)  Then Moses came up with a number of excuses which he offered to God as reasons why God should not sent him to Pharaoh. (Exodus 3:10-13)  Then God explained to him how it would work.  God would tell Moses what to do and what to say, and Moses would tell Aaron who would then tell the people what thus saith The Lord. (Exodus 3:14-16)  Moses then went down the mountain and he told his father-in-law Jethro that he must return to Egypt.  He packed up his family and returned to Egypt. (Exodus 4:18-20)  The Lord told Moses to perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that He had given him the power to perform.  He said that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 4:21-23)  But first God had to threaten to kill Moses for not circumcising his son.  His non-Hebrew wife, who apparently did not want to harm her son, had to circumcise him on their way to Egypt to save the life of Moses. (Exodus 4:24-26)  Then Aaron met Moses in the wilderness and then they went to the elders. (Exodus 4:27-31)

 

APPLICATION

Like Moses, sometimes we have our doubts about the things which The Lord God tells us to do.  At times we even question God’s instructions.  However, it is better for us to believe in Him, and in His Holy Word, and to obey Him even when we do not understand how it is all going to work.  It is our place to trust in The Lord.  We do not have the mental capacity to fully understand or comprehend all that He knows.  Additionally, He knows the future and what it holds for us.  So, let us not just be hearers of The Word but let us also be doers of The Word. (James 1:22)

  

GOD HEARS THE CRIES OF HIS PEOPLE

PROCLAMATION

“And The Angel of The Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush … And He said, ‘… the place whereon thou standest is holy ground … And The Lord said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them …’ ”  Exodus 3:2-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Moses fled to Midian he married Zipporah the daughter of Jethro and granddaughter of Reuel, and began a family. (Exodus 2:15-22)  He became a shepherd tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law. (Exodus 3:1)  It was there that Moses saw the burning bush which was not consumed by the fire, and he heard the voice of The Lord God. (Exodus 3:1-10)  God told him that He had heard the cries of the Israelites (Exodus 2:23-24 and 3:7-8) and He was sending Moses to bring His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10) and into the land flowing with milk and honey. (Exodus 3:8)  God told Moses that He would be with him and that he was to bring the people to worship Him on that mountain. (Exodus 3:12)  Moses was to tell the people “I AM has sent me.” (Exodus 3:14)  God also told Moses that the king of Egypt would not let the people go until He smites the Egyptians. (Exodus 3:19-20)  And when they leave Egypt, they will not leave empty-handed. (Exodus 3:21-22)

 

APPLICATION

Believers still suffer and go through trials and tribulations during this earthly journey.  It is comforting to know that The Lord God hears our prayers and our cries.  When the time is right, according to His will, He will do something about our plight.  Things are allowed to happen to us for a reason.  Sometimes bad things happen to us to keep us humble, (2 Corinthians 12:7) sometimes they are to keep us focused on Him, (Matthew 14:25-31) and sometimes they are punishment for our sins, (Numbers 14:26-31) or for the sins of our parents and grandparents. (Exodus 34:7)  However, our troubles won’t last always. (Psalm 30:5)  God hears the prayers of the righteous and He sees our situation. (1 Peter 3:12)  We just need to keep the faith and obey His Holy Word, (Deuteronomy 7:9) and know that when we call on Him, He hears us.

  

FOUND AND KEPT AND BLESSED

PROCLAMATION

“And the woman conceived, and bare a son … she hid him three months.  And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes … put the child therein, and she laid it … by the river’s brink … And the daughter of Pharaoh … saw the ark … opened it … had compassion on him … his sister … went and called the child’s mother … nurse it for me … And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son.  And she called his name Moses … ‘Because I drew him out of the water.’ ”  Exodus 2:1-10 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  During a time when all male Hebrews were killed at birth, (Exodus 1:22) Moses was born and hidden by his mother.  When she could no longer hide him, she put him in a basket among the reeds at the edge of the Nile river. (Exodus 2:1-3)  He was found by the Pharaoh’s daughter who had compassion on him.  His sister, who was watching from afar, asked her if she wanted her to go and get a Hebrew woman to nurse him and she agreed.  Thus Moses was nursed by his own mother but he raised as the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter. (Exodus 2:4-10)  After he had grown up, Moses saw an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew man and he killed the taskmaster then hid his body in the sand.  The next day he saw two Hebrew men fighting and he asked the one that was wrong why he was beating his fellow Hebrew.  The man asked Moses, are you planning to kill me as you did the Egyptian? (Exodus 2:11-14)  When the Pharaoh heard of this, he sought to kill Moses, but Moses fled to Midian.  There he married Zipporah one of the daughters of Reuel and raised a son. (Exodus 2:15-22)

 

APPLICATION

In the midst of hard times and danger, The Lord God will make a way.  He protects, and He provides, and He prepares a path with provisions when all seems lost.  As we look back over our life we should be able to see the hand of God orchestrating the events.  We need to acknowledge Him in all of our ways and pray that He will direct our paths in the future. (Proverbs 3:6)  We should be grateful for the protection which He has afforded us by giving His angels charge over us. (Psalm 91:11)  “O give thanks unto The Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.” (Psalm 107:1)

WHEN THINGS GET BAD PRAY

PROCLAMATION

“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.  And he unto his people, ‘Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; Come on, let us deal wisely with them …’  Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens …”  Exodus 1:8-11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the death of Joseph and his brothers, a new king came to power in Egypt who did not know of Joseph.  This new king was concerned with the large number of the Israelites so he made slaves of them and placed taskmasters over them. (Exodus 1:8-14)  The king told the Hebrew midwives to kill every male child that was born. (Exodus 1:15-16)  However, the midwives feared The Lord God and did not do as the king had commanded them (Exodus 1:17) and God blessed them with families of their own. (Exodus 1:21)

 

APPLICATION

There comes a time when things seemingly go from bad to worse.  When our leaders do not have our best interest at heart, they can institute plans which do us harm.  That is the time for us to pray.  The fervent sincere prayer of a righteous person is very effective. (James 5:16 )  However, we need to remember that God does thing on His timeframe and not on ours.