Tag: Burdens

41.n. “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.”

 

 

Exodus 6:1  But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the people of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’” Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.

Carrying the story from the previous chapter, Moses was discouraged by what he thought was God’s lack of action and help. God’s reply to Moses showed that He wanted him to know that the Lord was in control of it all. Moses was discouraged because he was too impressed by Pharaoh and not impressed enough by God. God reminded Moses of the great name of God (Yahweh), He confirmed that he remained the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God, who would absolutely fulfill His promise to Moses. (Guzik)

“When all human help has failed, and the soul, exhausted and despairing, has given up hope from man, God draws near, and says, I AM.” (Meyer)

Though the patriarchs knew God Almighty, they did not know Him as extensively and intimately as He would reveal Himself to Moses and his generation. They knew the power of God but didn’t have the same personal relationship and revelation Moses would come to know. For us, God wants to be more than God Almighty – He wants us also to know Him as a personal, promise making and promise keeping God, whom we can trust in everything. Believers should ask themselves if they really know God. Moses was called to remember his God.

In even separate I will promises, God said, “I’m going to do it. You can count on me.”

· I will bring you out.

· I will rescue you from their bondage.

· I will redeem you.

· I will take you as My people.

· I will be your God.

· I will bring you into the land.

· I will give it to you as a heritage.

“Each of these verbs are in the Hebrew past (i.e., perfect) tense instead of the future tense, for so certain was God of their accomplishment that they were viewed as having been completed.” (Kaiser) As is all of God’s promises!

After Moses spoke what God told him the children of Israel were still stuck in miserable unbelief. They probably would have said that they did not doubt God, but they doubted the messenger – Moses. Because of their anguish, this is why Israel doubted both God and His messenger. Their centuries of slavery made them think like slaves instead of people of the covenant. Pharaoh was bigger in their eyes than God was.  Ezekiel 20:5-9 shows why God was so small and Pharaoh was so big in Israel’s heart during this time. Ezekiel explained that they trusted the gods of their oppressors, worshipping the gods of the Egyptians. This is why they didn’t trust God, and His messenger Moses. The reason why God did not judge Israel at the time was because He didn’t want His name profaned among the Gentiles.

Many Christians find themselves in the same place. They find it hard to trust God and believe that He is for them. This is why Paul says we must not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:1-2). The children of Israel needed their minds renewed, and we do also. (Guzik)

41.i. “And Pharaoh said”

 

 

Exodus 5:5  And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”

To punish Israel for the request and to give them more work (“You seem to have enough time to make these crazy requests – then you must have enough time to work more!”), Pharaoh commanded that the Israelites must gather their own materials (specifically, straw) for making bricks. (Guzik)

But Pharaoh would hear nothing of any worship. He believed that the wish was simply an excuse for procuring holidays for the people, or days of rest from their labours, and ordered the messengers off to their slave duties: “Get you unto your burdens.” For as the people were very numerous, he would necessarily lose by their keeping holiday. (Keil and Delitzsch)

Rulers are not always content simply to refuse inconvenient demands. Sometimes they set to work with much ingenuity and worldly wisdom to prevent their repetition. This is especially the case where they entertain a fear of their petitioners. Pharaoh now is not content to let things take their course, but devises a plan by which he hopes to crush altogether the aspirations of the Hebrew people, and secure himself against the recurrence of any such appeal as that which had been made to him by Moses and Aaron.  They had had to dig the clay and temper it, to mix it with straw, and mould it into the form of bricks; but the straw had been supplied to them. The king determined that this should be no longer done; the Israelites should find the straw for themselves. Pharaoh lost no time. Having conceived his idea, he issued his order at once-on the very day of the interview with the two leaders. (Pulpit Commentary)

Not every action required of us by God will be honored by those to whom it is intended. We can expect one of three reactions; acceptance, resistance, and possible retaliation. When you think about it these is exactly the kinds of responses to the Gospel that occur.  (Accept, reject, react)

Obviously, the request to Pharaoh was not the same as presenting the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is rejected.  However, it was confirming and eternity-defining request that was rejected, hardening his heart and damning his soul. 

41.h. “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?”

 

 

Exodus 5:1  Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.”

 2 Kings 18:35     Who among all the gods of the lands have delivered their lands out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?’”

 2 Chronicles 32:15   Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand!’”

 Psalms 10:4   In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”

 Psalms 12:4    those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”

 Psalms 14:1   The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

 Romans 1:28   And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

 Jeremiah 44:16-17    “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we will not listen to you.

The fundamental demand of God to Pharaoh (through His messengers Moses and Aaron) was freedom for His people. God asserted that Israel belonged to Him, not Pharaoh; and therefore, that they should be free. Those who belong to God should be free, not bound. Moses relayed the demand God first gave him back at Exodus 3:18. God presented the smaller request to Pharaoh first so that the request would be as appealing and as easy to accept as possible. He did this so Pharaoh would have no excuse at all for refusing God and hardening his heart. (Guzik)

Pharaoh treated all he had heard with contempt. He had no knowledge of Jehovah, no fear of him, no love to him, and therefore refused to obey him. Thus Pharaoh’s pride, ambition, covetousness, and political knowledge, hardened him to his own destruction. What Moses and Aaron ask is very reasonable, only to go three days’ journey into the desert, and that on a good errand. We will sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Pharaoh was very unreasonable, in saying that the people were idle, and therefore talked of going to sacrifice. (Henry)

The request was put in this form to try Pharaoh, and that he might be the more inexcusable in refusing to grant what was so reasonable. (Gill)

A hardened heart can be softened or made more hard by the Word of God. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18) The Word of God is Light unto the soul receptive to it. The eyes to their hearts and minds are not closed even though they are walking in darkness.  When the Light of the Gospel is flamed they see it and run toward it to get out of the darkness that has given them no satisfaction or comfort. However, there are those whose eyes are purposely closed. They are not searching for Light. They are content in darkness and choose to live it in.  Should the Light be flamed before their very eyes they do not see it. 

We do not know how or when the Light of God’s Word will soften a hardened and blinded soul. God’s Word can soften the most hardened soul of whom we would think it not possible.  Likewise, it can harden the softest heart that chooses to reject it. The mystery of the power of God’s Word never ceases to amaze me.  I am in awe of its power. Let us never be so careless as to think the Word of God is powerless against the vilest of people.  As we pray for those who walk in darkness, (family, friends, neighbors, leaders) let it be in line with God’s Word softening their hearts and minds to the Savior and the Good News of the Gospel, with receptive hearts to the salvation of their souls.

40.m. “Surely the thing is known.”

 

 

Exodus 2:11  One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well.

Hebrews 11:23  By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses boldly owned the cause of God’s people. It is plain from Heb 11. that this was done in faith, with the full purpose of leaving the honours, wealth, and pleasures of his rank among the Egyptians. By the grace of God he was a partaker of faith in Christ, which overcomes the world. He was willing, not only to risk all, but to suffer for his sake; being assured that Israel were the people of God. By special warrant from Heaven, which makes no rule for other cases, Moses slew an Egyptian, and rescued an oppressed Israelites. Also, he tried to end a dispute between two Hebrews. The reproof Moses gave, may still be of use. May we not apply it to disputants, who, by their fierce debates, divide and weaken the Christian church? They forget that they are brethren. He that did wrong quarreled with Moses. It is a sign of guilt to be angry at reproof. Men know not what they do, nor what enemies they are to themselves, when they resist and despise faithful reproofs and reprovers. Moses might have said, if this be the spirit of the Hebrews, I will go to court again, and be the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. But we must take heed of being set against the ways and people of God, by the follies and peevishness of some persons that profess religion. Moses was obliged to flee into the land of Midian. God ordered this for wise and holy ends. (Henry)

We don’t always know the plans and purposes of God for our lives until we have lived long enough to see how His hand has guided, protected, placed, and like a great conductor, orchestrated our lives into a beautiful  harmony with His plans and purposes.

34.y. “They do all their deeds to be seen by others. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility.”

 

Matthew 23:1  Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others.

 Luke 11:46    And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

 Acts 15:10   Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?

 Philippians 2:3     Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

 John 12:43    for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

 Luke 16:15    And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

 Proverbs 3:3    Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.

 Proverbs 6:21-23    Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.  When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.  For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

Then spake Jesus to the multitude,…. To the common people that were about him in the temple; the high priests and elders, Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, having left him, being all nonplussed and silenced by him: and now, lest on the one hand, the people seeing the ignorance and errors of these men detected by Christ, should be tempted to conclude there was nothing in religion, and to neglect the word and worship of God, on account of the concern these men had in it; and on the other hand, because of their great authority and influence, being in Moses’s chair, lest the people should be led into bad principles and practices by them, he directs them in what they should observe them, and in what not: that they were not altogether to be rejected, nor in everything to be attended to; and warns them against their ostentation, pride, hypocrisy, covetousness, and cruelty; and, at the same time, removes an objection against himself, proving that he was no enemy to Moses, and the law, rightly explained and practiced. (Gill)

Legalism in any form of justifying ourselves before God is a lie continually proclaimed by satan, always wrong, and temps those that seek redemption apart from complete reliance on Jesus Christ. It does not take much tempting by satan to get a person to wear good deeds in pride. As good of deeds as they may be, they are wasted in that person’s heart for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ alone. Do we think that counting and keeping track of our good deeds in some way puts God in our debt?  Likewise, do we do good deeds out of fear of God or because we love God? Do we expect more of others than we do of ourselves? 

There are many who proclaim many do’s and don’t’s for a Christian to follow. Let these be summed up in a few. Love God with your whole heart, mind, and soul. Do that which honors and glorifies Jesus Christ in all you say, think, and do. Do not be conformed to this world and what it has to offer. Do love others above yourself. Do read scripture with an expectant heart and mind for the purpose of gaining more understanding, wisdom, and knowledge of Jesus Christ and how you might honor and glorify Him more and more each day. 

26.t. “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only”

 

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Proverbs 25:14    Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

 Proverbs 26:12    Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

 Romans 12:3    For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

 1 Corinthians 3:18   Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.

 James 1:22     But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

 James 1:26   If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.

 Proverbs 14:14    The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.

As much as anything, pride is self-focus. Pride doesn’t necessarily say, “I’m better than you are.” Pride simply says, “I’m more important than you are, so I deserve more of my own attention and love than you do.” It also stifles ministry in another way. Out of pride, people will refuse to receive help when someone else reaches out to help bear their burden. Instead, Biblical humility tells us, “I am no more important than you are. Let me care about your burdens and needs.” Or to say, “I need help”. It is important to understand that Paul wrote to every Christian when he said, “When he is nothing.” In the sense Paul uses the idea here, it isn’t that some Christians are something, and others are nothing, and the problem is that the nothings think they are one of the somethings. Instead, Paul writes with the same idea behind Philippians 2:3b-4: In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. If I esteem you above me, and you esteem me above you, a marvelous thing happens: we have a community where everyone is looked up to, and no one is looked down on. (Guzik)

“The meaning is more general and should therefore be expressed thus, ‘Since all men are nothing, he who wishes to appear something and persuades himself that he is somebody, deceives himself.’” (Calvin)

There are few things more self-deceptive than pride. To be proud is to be blind – blind to the freely given favor and gifts of God, blind to our sin and depravity, blind to the good in others, and blind to the foolishness of self-centeredness.

We often get angry when someone deceives us. Yet we don’t take the danger of deceiving ourselves as seriously as we should. It is a serious and terrible thing to deceive yourself. “The misery of most men is, that their minds are as ill set as their eyes, neither of them look inwards.” (Trapp)

Instead of deceiving ourselves, we must take a careful and sober examination of our lives (what we say, think, and do, where and what we spend our time on, am I seeking and desiring to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.) The Bible speaks of a day when our works will be examined before the Lord. Strive to have your works reveal humble humility, obedience, reliance, faith, and trust in Jesus Christ and in love, bearing the burdens on to another.

21. Broken Spirit

Exodus 5:22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 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.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the people of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’” Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.

We can easily see why the people would not listen to Moses.  He, through Aaron, had gone before the people and proclaimed what God had told him.  He had done signs in sight of the people and they believed, bowed their heads and worshiped.  Then after Moses spoke to Pharaoh their slavery became immediately worse.  They thought they were being delivered from their bondage but ended up worse.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen.  What is it that diminishes your hope and faith?  We have all been there, where we have are close to God, He speaks to our heart through promises in His word, and we find hope, peace and rest in what He revealed to us.  Then what happens?  Time happens.  Our anticipation, hope, peace, and rest in the promises of God got tested by time.  Our expectation left no room for time to happen.  Our expectation of God’s promises left no room for His purpose and plans.

Our dependence and reliance on God’s promises are not dependent of our expectation of the time when we expect our situation to change.    The moment God speaks promises into our heart and soul nothing changes from the aspect of what God will do.  Nothing. 

Now add time to our situation and soon we think God has changed.  Our faith was wasted.  Our hope was wrong.  Our thought of what He can and will do was abandoned.  Yet, God never changed, He will never leave us or forsake us, He will guide us, He will strengthen us, He will bless us, He will lead us, and He will give us courage for each new day. 

The next time doubt enters your mind say this “forgive my doubt, I TRUST YOU.  If you have to say this a thousand times do it and you will find the doubts soon turn into praises of faith and hope.

Love one another

“By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”

John 13:34  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 15:12-13     “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Acts 4:32     Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.  And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.  There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold  and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

1 John 2:5     but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him

1 John 2:10     Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

Galatians 6:2     Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Leviticus 19:18     You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Romans 12:10     Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

1 Peter 1:22     Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 Corinthians 13:4     Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Philippians 2:1     So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.  Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Reread this again.  What is God revealing to your heart?  If this is what love looks like lived out where do I fall short? How do I recognize these shortcomings?  How do I put them into practice?  What are those triggers in my life that seem to take me down paths contrary to the principles of love?  Pride, selfishness, greed, self honor, impatience, lack of sympathy, self centeredness, “ME” – “MYSELF” – “I”……. I am instructed to keep my eyes focused on Christ and His example, sharing the burdens of others, allowing myself to be wronged, seeking to keep unity, and doing this for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.  This is very contrary to the sinful nature.  When my focus is on me I soon lose sight of Christ’s love.  Even if I stay in His word and seek to honor Him, if I’m not continuously conscious of demonstrating love it is easy to let that sinful nature of me, myself and I to hinder any effect I might have to honor and glorify Jesus.  Practice the love of Christ each day.  Ask Jesus to fill you with His love and lead you down paths giving opportunity to demonstrate it.

More Than Hearers

These things you have done, and I have been silent;
you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you

How is God speaking to our heart?  Are we listening for His guidance and leading?  Are we willing to follow what He is telling us?  Do we search His word and feed our soul with it so that we honor and glorify Him?  We must be more than hearers of His word.  We must desire to be lead by Him for His purpose not ours.  Daily put into practice what you hear through His word.  Be more than hearers only – be disciples and servants of Him.

Matthew 23:3
For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others

Romans 2:21
you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself

Psalms 50:17
For you hate discipline,
and you cast my words behind you

Nehemiah 9:26
“Nevertheless, they were disobedient and rebelled against you