"The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”" (Exodus 7:5). Who was in control of the situation? Was it Pharaoh? No! It was God. This was the reason that the people of Israel had a bright future ahead …
Category: Exodus
The Lord didn’t bring us this far to leave us …
Exodus 15:22-16:36 God allows His people to suffer difficulties. Why? - To strengthen our faith (15:25; 16:4; Deuteronomy 8:2,16; 1 Peter 1:6-7). He chastens us, to teach us repentance (Revelation 3:19). Don't forget God's love. He is faithful: 'He didn't bring us this far to leave us'. He shows us His glory (7). He assures …
Continue reading The Lord didn’t bring us this far to leave us …
Called to serve the Lord …
Third Sunday in Lent: Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42 Called to serve the Lord, we begin with worship, praying and listening to His Word. Worldly people create problems (Exodus 17:3). Moses asks, ‘What shall I do...?’ (Exodus 17:4). Indecision asks, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ (Exodus 17:7). He gives victory …
Prayer and the ministry of God’s Word …
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 or Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32; Psalm 25:1-9; Philippians 2:1-13; Matthew 21:23-32 Prayer and the ministry of God’s Word Worldly people create problems (Exodus 17:3). Moses asks, ‘What shall I do...?’ (Exodus 17:4). Indecision asks, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ (Exodus 17:7). He gives victory (Exodus …
Moses was called to be a servant of God’s people.
Exodus 3:1-22Moses was called to be a servant of God's people. He was to be the leader who would play an important part in bringing the blessing of God to the people of Israel. He was not to be a 'lone ranger.' He was to "assemble the leaders of Israel" (Exodus 3:16). He was to …
Continue reading Moses was called to be a servant of God’s people.
When we’re going through hard times …
"And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. 4 I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and …
Things seemed to be going so well …
"Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly" (Genesis 47:27). Things seemed to be going so well - but, later on, everything would change. "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.9 And he said to his …
Things were going to get better!
For the people of Israel, life, in Egypt, was very difficult - "the Egyptians ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves" (Exodus 1:13). Had they been forgotten by God? Had he abandoned them? For the people of Israel, these were very real questions. They were more than questions. They were prayers that would be answered …
More than a departure …
"Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, …
Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful day …
"Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God" (Exodus 3:1). For Moses, it started off like a very ordinary day - looking after sheep! It turned out to be an …
Hearing, Believing, Worshipping
"And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped" (Exodus 4:31). They heard. They believed. They worshipped. "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of …
Learning to wait on the Lord …
"Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”"(Exodus 5:22-23). God had promised to deliver his …
God’s love for us is stronger than our faith in him.
"And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them. 4 I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the …
Continue reading God’s love for us is stronger than our faith in him.
The glory of the Lord …
"The glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai" (Exodus 24:26). "The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Exodus 40:34-35). From the revelation of God's glory in the Old Testament, we move on to the revelation of God's glory in Jesus Christ: "God, who said, let there be light in the darkness, has …
Let the Old Testament story lead you to Jesus, our great Saviour.
"When I see the blood, I will pass over you ... 14 “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations" (Exodus 12:13-14). We read these words from the Old Testament, and our thoughts move on, from there, to Jesus' death for us. When …
Continue reading Let the Old Testament story lead you to Jesus, our great Saviour.
Good News for the next generation …
"You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out …
The salvation of the Lord – how wonderful this is!
"And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”" (Exodus 14:13-14). "The salvation of the Lord" - how wonderful this is! The …
Continue reading The salvation of the Lord – how wonderful this is!
Singing our song to the Lord …
"Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation;this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him." (Exodus 15:1-2). …
Daily bread that sustains our faith …
"And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”" (Exodus 16:11-12). "And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the …
Hearing, Rejoicing, Worshipping
"Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel his people, how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt" (Exodus 18:1). "And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the Lord had done to Israel, in that he had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 Jethro …
Listening to the Word of the Lord – and speaking His Word
"The Lord called to Moses out of the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my …
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What wonderful love the Lord has for each one of us! …
Exodus 20 begins with comforting words: "And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (vs.1-2). These words speak to us of the love of God. What wonderful love the Lord has for each one of us. The Lord …
Continue reading What wonderful love the Lord has for each one of us! …
How long will we be in this wilderness? …
Sometimes, we feel like we're in a wilderness - and we can't get out of it! The first half of the book of Exodus tells of the deliverance of the people of Israel from their time of bondage in the land of Egypt. Things were looking up! Surely, there were better days ahead for them. …
Set Free By The Lord, Set Free For The Lord
Before we come to “the Ten Commandments”, we have these great words, “ I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). Grace comes first. Holiness follows on from grace. We see the same pattern in the New Testament – in the teaching of Jesus, …
Continue reading Set Free By The Lord, Set Free For The Lord
Pharaoh’s fantasy …
"But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go" (Exodus 8:32; 9:7,35). "Then Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.”" (Exodus 10:28). "Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen …
Before we can work for God, we must listen to Him and learn from Him … (Exodus 40).
Exodus 40:1-38 - Here, we highlight three lessons: (a) The work of God begins with the Word of God: ‘The Lord said to Moses...’ (1). Before we can do anything for God, we must be taught by God. (b) The work of God must proceed in the way of God: ‘Thus did Moses; according to …
Continue reading Before we can work for God, we must listen to Him and learn from Him … (Exodus 40).
Will you be worth your weight in gold – for God? … (Exodus 38-39).
Exodus 38:1-31 - We read, in verse 8, of ‘the ministering women...’. See also 35:25-26,29 - ‘all women ... all the women... All the men and women...’. Male and female - We need each other. We are ‘one in Christ Jesus.’ In Him, ‘there is neither male nor female’ (Galatians 3:28). There should never be …
Continue reading Will you be worth your weight in gold – for God? … (Exodus 38-39).
The Best Way
Exodus 12:1-13:22The purpose of the Passover was to build a bridge between the past, the present and the future: “Remember this day – the day when you left Egypt, the land of slavery. The Lord used His mighty hand to bring you out of there” (Exodus 13:3), “In the future, when your children ask you what this …
The work of God is shared by many different people with many different gifts … (Exodus 35-37).
Exodus 35:1-36:7 - The work of God is shared by many different people with many different gifts. The work is done according to (a) the Lord’s command (35:1,4,10; 36:1,5); (b) heartfelt obedience (21; 36:3,5-7); (c) the God-given abilities (24-25; 36:2,4,8). There is something for ‘everyone’ to do - everyone ‘whose heart is stirred, whose spirit …
Moving Out Of The Land Of Bondage And On To The Promised Land
“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I …
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Lord, what are we to do when we’re going through a hard time? … (Praying Through God’s Word: Exodus)
Exodus 1:1-2:10 Lord, what are we to do when we’re going through a hard time? Hard times can be the breaking of us – or the making of us. We can blame You – or we can trust You. Help us to trust You – to know that You are near, even when it feels …
The glory of God – His goodness, His grace and his mercy … (Exodus 32:15-34:35).
Exodus 32:15-33:23 - In Moses, we see the holiness and love of God: a deep hatred of sin (32:19), an intense longing for sinners to be forgiven (32). Filled with ‘the fear of the Lord’, Moses was fearless before men. God’s Word to sinners is clear: He warns them (Proverbs 29:1); He calls them to …
Continue reading The glory of God – His goodness, His grace and his mercy … (Exodus 32:15-34:35).
Christ has provided, for us, a better redemption than the redemption of Israel from Egypt … (Exodus 29:10-32:14).
Exodus 29:10-46 - There is a great contrast between the many sacrifices of the Old Testament and the one sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews 9:25-28; 10:1-4, 10-14). Looking to Christ, we focus attention on verses 42-46. For God’s people, ‘the tent of meeting’ was a special place concerning which God said, ‘I will meet with you, …
You are beautiful beyond description, too marvellous for words … (Exodus 26:1-29:9).
Exodus 26:1-37 - From the outside, it was a ‘tent’. On the inside, the tabernacle was a place of great beauty. Many look at Christ, and see ‘no beauty that we should desire Him’ (Isaiah 53:2). The believer looks at Christ, and says, ‘You are beautiful beyond description, too marvellous for words, too wonderful for …
Love and holiness – not holiness without love, not holiness without love … (Exodus 23-25)
Exodus 23:1-33 - God is love: He loves ‘the stranger’ (9). God is holy: He ‘will not acquit the wicked’ (7). He wants to reproduce His love and holiness - in us. Not holiness without love: that is self-righteous legalism. Not love without holiness: that is spineless sentimentalism. To Israel, He sent 'an angel...' (20). …
Before our love for God, there is His love for us … (Exodus 20-22).
Exodus 20:1-20 - God does not want to see sin in us (20). He wants to see Himself in us. Sin robs us of His great blessing. He wants to fill us with love (Mark 12:28-31; Galatians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13). Before our love for Him, there is His love for us. He is the …
Continue reading Before our love for God, there is His love for us … (Exodus 20-22).
God is calling us to move forward – together … (Exodus 17-19).
Exodus 17:1-18:27 - Worldly people create problems (17:3). Moses asks, ‘What shall I do...?’ (17:4). Indecision asks, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ (17:7). He gives victory (17:8-9,13). Joshua is being equipped for special service - ‘in the ears of Joshua’ (17:14). God’s great concern is that His people move forward together. The work …
Continue reading God is calling us to move forward – together … (Exodus 17-19).
A song of redemption, thanksgiving and hope (Exodus 15-16)
Exodus 15:1-21 - This is a song of redemption - God has redeemed His people; a song of thanksgiving - we give thanks for God's redemption; and a song of hope - we look forward to the complete fulfilment of God's redemption. This is not only a ‘song of God’s people.’ It is also the …
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Overview Of the Old Testament: Exodus
Exodus 1–7 Things were difficult for Israel yet ‘the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied’ (1:12). Difficult times can be the making of God’s people! Moses sins (2:12). God graciously forgives (Micah 7:18-19) - this is salvation. His sin forgiven, Moses is called to service. He is called by the eternal God, the …
Make your decision for Christ, and make it real! … (Exodus 9-10).
Exodus 9:1-35 - Today, we highlight three lessons: The importance of trusting Christ as your Saviour, the folly of refusing Christ’s salvation and the danger of professing conversion without really meaning it. Each of us must choose: Will you step into Christ or remain outside of Him? Will you flee to Him and take refuge …
Continue reading Make your decision for Christ, and make it real! … (Exodus 9-10).
Shining!
“The skin of Moses’ face shone” (Exodus 34:35). What glory there is in the presence of the Lord! The glory of the Lord was shining upon Moses. The glory of the Lord was shining out from Moses. In the Lord’s presence, there is light. When we come into His presence, we come out of the …
Pharaoh opposes Moses .. What does Moses do? – He prays … (Exodus 5-8).
Exodus 5:1-6:13 - In 4:29-31, we see Moses, the elders and the people worshipping God. Pharaoh opposes them - ‘Who is the Lord, that I should heed His voice...?’ (2) - , and ‘the foremen of the people of Israel’ start complaining (19-21). What does Moses do ? - He prays. Notice the honesty of …
Continue reading Pharaoh opposes Moses .. What does Moses do? – He prays … (Exodus 5-8).
God has so much to teach us …
Exodus 2:11-3:22 - Salvation, service, personal faith, life among God’s people - God has much to teach us. Moses sins (2:12). God graciously forgives (Micah 7:18-19) - this is salvation. His sin forgiven, Moses is called to service. He is called by the eternal God, the God who draws near to His people (3:14-15). Saved …
Notice what comes first …
"Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up" (Exodus 19:20). Notice what comes first - the Lord came down, then Moses went up. Revelation comes from above. It doesn't come from below. It comes from the Lord. It …
Above all – we look to the Lord.
"You will lead the people You have redeemed with Your faithful love; You will guide them to Your holy dwelling with Your strength" (Exodus 15:11). We look back, and we look forward - but, above all, we look to the Lord.
The authority of Jesus Christ …
Mark 11:1-33 Here we learn of the authority of Christ. Calling the 'colt' into His service, He says, with authority, 'The Lord has need of it' (3). With authority, He speaks to the fig tree (14) - a 'visual aid' of His teaching: 'Every branch of Mine that bears no fruit, He takes away' (John …
The work of God is shared by many different people with many different gifts …
Exodus 35:1-36:7 The work of God is shared by many different people with many different gifts. The work is done according to (a) the Lord's command (35:1,4,10; 36:1,5); (b) heartfelt obedience (21; 36:3,5-7); (c) the God-given abilities (24-25; 36:2,4,8). There is something for 'everyone' to do - everyone 'whose heart is stirred whose spirit is …
Continue reading The work of God is shared by many different people with many different gifts …
Why is all this happening to us?
Why is all this happening to us? Sometimes, we don't get answers to our questions - but we do get the attention of God, when we pray. Go back to Exodus 2:23-25 - back to the people of Israel in Egypt. Read about the hard times. Read about the prayer. Read about God listening. What …
Why does God allow His people to suffer?
Exodus 15:22-16:36 - God allows His people to suffer difficulties. Why? - To strengthen our faith (15:25; 16:4; Deuteronomy 8:2,16; 1 Peter 1:6-7). He chastens us, to teach us repentance (Revelation 3:19). Don't forget God’s love. He is faithful: ‘He didn’t bring us this far to leave us’. He shows us His glory (7). He …
God has not given up on us (Opening Up God’s Word: Exodus 2:23-25).
The mercy of God, revealed in the Exodus, is connected with the ongoing purpose of God - "God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob" (Exodus 2:24). From Exodus 1:13 to Exodus 2:23-25, there were 80 years (Acts 7:23,30). These 80 yeara are referred to as "the course of those many days" …
Continue reading God has not given up on us (Opening Up God’s Word: Exodus 2:23-25).
Lord, we come to You in our weakness.
Lord, we come to You in our weakness. We receive Your strength. In our weakness, we fail. Through Your strength, we shall triumph. When we're stumbling along in weakness, help us to say, with ever-increasing faith, "Our God is marching on to glorious victory."
Search The Scriptures: Exodus
Exodus 1:1-2:25 The stage is set for a mighty work of God. The Lord's people face a crisis situation. they are being oppressed by the Egyptians. God sees what is happening. He is making His plans - to give His people a better future. It may have seemed like God was doing nothing about Israel's …
From Good Friday to Easter Sunday (13): In the redemption of Israel, we see love, eternal love, the love of God.
Exodus 14:10-31 10 When the Israelites saw the king and his army marching against them, they were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. 11 They said to Moses, “Weren't there any graves in Egypt? Did you have to bring us out here in the desert to die? Look what you have done by bringing us out of …
Preaching the Word of the Lord – Exodus 20:1-21
Before the Ten Commandments, there is love (Exodus 20:2). There is more than law. There us more than the exodus. There is Jesus, our Saviour. He does for us what the law can never do for us. He saves us. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17) - What effect do they have on us? Read Exodus …
Continue reading Preaching the Word of the Lord – Exodus 20:1-21
What an exodus it was!
Exodus What an exodus it was!Was it really a deliverance?Was it more than a departure?Departure? – Yes. it was.It involved the peoples’ choice.They had to follow God’s direction.Deliverance? – That’s what it was.It required the power of God.The people made their choice.The power came from God.God said, “I will do this.”God said, “Will you follow?”It …
Some Simple Thoughts From The Scriptures
Genesis When I was writing these words, I was thinking of some of the stories in the book of Genesis (the book of beginnings). I was thinking about Adam, Abraham and Joseph - and I was thinking about Jesus!___________________________________________ It was the genesis of my life.Things were looking so good.Then, it all went badly wrong.What …
The Ten Commandments (1): “… Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:1-3).
To understand the ten commandments, in Exodus 20, we need to listen to the whole story of the exodus. To understand the giving of the law at Mount Sinai, we need to go back to Egypt and discover the mighty act of redemption by which God had brought the people of Israel out of bondage …
The Ten Commandments (2): “Thou shalt not make any graven image … ” (Exodus 20:4-6).
The ten commandments don't begin with "Thou shalt ... ". They begin with a statement concerning who God is - "I am the Lord your God" - and what God has done for his people - "I ... brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage" (Exodus 20:1). It …
The Ten Commandments (3) – “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain … ” (Exodus 20:7).
We have looked together at the first two commandments - "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" and "Thou shalt not make any graven image." We have focused on two key themes - First, God is the God of our salvation. He is the God who saves us. He does this through his Son, …
The Ten Commandments (4): “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy … ” (Exodus 20:8-11).
In looking together at the first three commandments, we have learned some vitally important lessons about God. First, he is the God of salvation. He saved his people, Israel, from their bondage in Egypt. He has sent Jesus Christ, his Son, to be our Saviour. Second, he is working, within us, to make us more …
