What does it mean to be free?

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Corinthians 3:17). In today's world, there are plenty of people who speak of freedom in terms of I, me and my. I: I'm free to think what I like and do what I like. Nobody can tell me what I'm to think and how …

Teach us, Lord, that it’s not all about us.

Exodus 36:8-38 Teach us, Lord, that it's not all about us. It's not about getting ourselves noticed. It's all about You. It's about giving all the glory to You.

Calling upon the Lord, responding to him …

At the heart of our life of faith, there is speaking to God, listening to him and making our response to what he says to us. We pray to him - "Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening" (1 Samuel 3: 10). We read the Word of God. God speaks to us. As we listen to …

Link to Rev James Philip’s notes on Exodus

Exodus

Gold!

Exodus 37:1-29 Many times over, we read the word, “gold.” We look beyond the furnishings of the place of worship to the God whom we worship. In our hearts, we say, “My God, how wonderful You are.” All that we read of here is pointing us to the great God, the God of glory, the …

Responding to God’s Word (2): Ask the Saviour to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you. He is willing to aid you. He will carry you through.

The Lord said, "My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest" (Exodus 33:14). The Lord's people were in the wilderness, but they were not alone. The Lord was with them, and he was leading them to the land that he had promised to give to them. When we feel like we're …

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. …

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 …

Before the Ten Commandments

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 20:2). Before the Ten Commandments, there is this great declaration concerning God's salvation. This is something we must never forget. Our obedience is inspired by his salvation. The Lord has saved us. Let us live as people who are …

Jesus Christ – the Lamb of God

"When I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). When we read these words, our thoughts move forward to several verses from the New Testament. In John 1:29, our attention is directed towards Jesus Christ, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." In 1 Corinthians 5:7, we learn …

In the beginning, there is love, eternal love, the love of God.

Easter Vigil: Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26; Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13; Psalm 46; Genesis 22:1-18; Psalm 16; Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21; Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18; Isaiah 55:1-11; Isaiah 12:2-6; Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6; Psalm 19; Ezekiel 36:24-28; Psalms 42 and 43; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 143; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Psalm 98; Romans 6:3-11; Psalm 114; Matthew 28:1-10 In …

Can people of this generation still live “by faith” in God (Part Two)?

In an earlier post, I invited people, who are unconvinced about faith in God, to consider what Hebrews 11 and the book of Genesis have to say to us about living by faith. Here's a link to that post. https://learningfromgodsword.wordpress.com/2022/08/08/can-people-of-this-generation-live-by-faith-in-god After I completed that post, which highlights what Hebrews 11 says to us about the …

Life Is A Rollercoaster.

Exodus 31:1-33:23 The history of Israel is like a rollercoaster ride. It’s full of highs and lows. We read of the Lord, giving His Word to Moses (Exodus 31:18). This is followed by the people rebelling against God (Exodus 32:1). The sin of the people is very great. The mercy of God is even greater. …

Daily bread that sustains our faith

"And the Lord said to Moses, “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 …

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 is 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 …

God has not given up on us.

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 …

The Exodus and the Cross

Exodus 1:1-3:22; Matthew 26:1-30; Psalm 19:1-6 The mighty redemption of God in the Old Testament was focused on the Exodus. The mighty redemption in the New Testament is focused on the Cross – Jesus’ ‘exodus’ or ‘departure’. The Exodus led to “the land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:17). The Cross leads to the …

The stage is set for a mighty work of God …

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 …

We have more than God’s call. We, also, have his promise.

"I will certainly be with you" (Exodus 3:12). These words were spoken by God. They were spoken to Moses. Why did God speak these words to Moses, and why does he continue to speak these words to us? Moses was being called to do something big - for God. Moses felt that it was too …

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 …

We have glimpses of glory – but the full glory is still to come.

Exodus 3:1-22 Moses may have been content to remain in the background. God was calling him to step into the foreground - for God’s people. This is more than the story of Moses. It’s the story of Israel. It points forward to God’s purpose for all nations. When we read the Old Testament story, we …

Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99 or Isaiah 45:1-7; Psalm 96:1-9, (10-13); 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22

God is holy. God is love. Let us come to Him with our prayers. In Moses, we see the holiness and love of God: a deep hatred of sin (Exodus 32:19), an intense longing for sinners to be forgiven (Exodus 32:32). Filled with ‘the fear of the Lord’, Moses was fearless before men. God’s Word …

In the wilderness… (Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 14:19-31; Psalm 114 (or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21) or Genesis 50:15-21; Psalm 103: (1-7), 8-13; Romans 14:1-12; Matthew 18:21-35)

In the wilderness, we can know that God is with us. Sin may be ‘near’, but God never leads His people into it (Exodus 13:13:17, James 1:13). Following Christ means walking a narrow road (Matthew 7:13-14). We are surrounded by many temptations. Pray that your feet will not slip (Psalm 37:31; 17:5; 44:18). Sometimes, the …

Being saved by the Lord and going on to live for Him (Exodus 11-14)

Exodus 11:1-12:28  -  Here, we focus attention on two verses which emphasize the importance of being saved by the Lord and going on to live for Him: ‘when I see the blood, I will pass over you... you must eat unleavened bread’ (13,20). In verse 13, we are directed beyond the Passover to Jesus Christ, …

Our obedience to God

Exodus 21:1-23:33 Our obedience to God is to take shape within the varied circumstances of everyday life. At the heart of our obedience, there is to be compassion, an expression of God's compassion (Exodus 22:21,28; Exodus 23:9). At the heart of our obedience, there is to be worship (Exodus 23:14). taking compassion and worship together, …

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149 or Ezekiel 33:7-11; Psalm 119:33-40; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20

Saved by the Lord, let us go on to live for Him. ‘When I see the blood, I will pass over you... You must eat unleavened bread’ (Exodus 12:13, 20). In Exodus 12:13, we are directed beyond the Passover to Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of sins (John 1:29; 1 John1:7). …

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 …

It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better!

Exodus 5:1-8:31 It gets worse before it gets better. Things seemed to be going from bad to worse for God’s people. They become “discouraged” (Exodus 6:9). They were unable to look beyond their present difficulties. They needed the Lord’s Word of encouragement – “The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I use …

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c or Jeremiah 15:15-21; Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28

The work of God makes progress when God’s people move forward together. Salvation, service, personal faith, life among God’s people - God has much to teach us. Moses sins (Exodus 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, …

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 1:8-2:10; Psalm 124 or Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20

Redeemed by the Lord, we are to be consecrated to Him. Things were difficult for Israel yet ‘the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied’ (Exodus 1:12). Difficult times can be the making of God’s people! Pharaoh (and Satan!) is murderously anxious about the growth of God's people (Exodus 1:15-16; John 10:10). God is …

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. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, …

Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised (Psalm 113:1-3). We only have today. At night time, we wait for the coming of …

Before our love for God, there is His love for us.

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19 or Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:7-15; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46 Before our love for God, there is His love for us. God does not want to see sin in us (Exodus 20:20). He wants to see Himself in us. Sin robs us of His great blessing. …

Receiving strength from the Spirit of God

Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost: Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 or Isaiah 25:1-9; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14 Receiving strength from the Spirit of God ‘Called’ by God and ‘filled’ with His Spirit (Exodus 31:1-3), Bezalel had the support of Oholiab and ‘all able men’ (Exodus 31:6). Few may be called and equipped to lead, …

Trust the Lord.

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Genesis 18:1-5 (21:1-7); Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 or Exodus 19:2-8a; Psalm 100; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23) Trust the Lord. Is anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14). We need to hear these words as God’s call to greater faith. Sarah, like Abraham, had heard God’s promises, yet ‘she laughed to …

God is so much greater than all of our words about him.

'“I am the Alpha and the Omega, (A and Z)” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty”' (Revelation 1:8). Here, we read about the eternal God. He has no beginning. He has no ending. He is the eternal "I am": "God said to Moses, “I am who I …

The Work Of God

Exodus 35:1-36:38 The work of God requires the work of a large number of people, who pool their resources together to see that God’s work is done. When there is this willing spirit among God’s people, God’s work moves forward. This willing spirit comes from the Lord Himself – “The Lord has filled Bezalel with …

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 …

Make your decision for Christ, and make it real!

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 …

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 …

Looking beyond Moses to Jesus… Jesus meets the woman at the well.

Exodus 13:3-7; Romans 5:1-25-8; John 4:5-42 Look beyond Moses to Jesus.We read, in Exodus 17:3-8, about God’s provision of water for His people in the wilderness. We read about Moses’ leadership. Jesus is greater than Moses. He is more than a leader. He is the Saviour. He is “living water.”   “While we were still sinners, …

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 …

The Ten Commandments (6): “Thou shalt not…”(Exodus 20:13-17).

"Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Do not steal. Do not be a false witness against your neighbour. Do not want to have anything your neighbor owns. Do not want to have your neighbor’s house, wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey.” (Exodus 20:13-17). As we read these verses, the word that keeps …

The Ten Commandments (5): “Honour your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12).

We move on, now, to the second part of the Ten Commandments. The first four Commandments focus on our relationship with God - no other gods and no graven images, honouring the Lord's Name and the Lord's Day. The other six Commandments emphasize our relationship with others. The first Commandment, in this second section, is …

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 …

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 (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 (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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

When things change

"When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?” He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die” (Genesis 42:1-2). Jacob and his family were …

The Best Way

Exodus 12:1-13:22 The 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 …

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, …

God is about to move in saving power.

Exodus 1:1-2:10 Things were difficult for Israel yet 'the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied' (12). Difficult times can be the making of God's people! Pharaoh (and Satan!) is murderously anxious about the growth of God's people (15-16; John 10:10). God is about to move in saving power - His 'midwives' are preparing …

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 …

Out of control?

"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 …

The glory of God’s holiness, and the glory of His love

"Show me Your glory" (Exodus 33:18). When we read "the Ten Commandments, we think of a revelation of God's holiness. This is not a comforting revelation: "When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to …