staff – Praying Pint

47.n. “Wilderness” – 11.t. “Grumblings of the people”

Num 17:1 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, and get from them staffs, one for each fathers’ house, from all their chiefs according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. Write each man’s name on his staff, and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each fathers’ house. Then you shall deposit them in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout. Thus I will make to cease from me the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against you.” Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. And the staff of Aaron was among their staffs. And Moses deposited the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff. And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.” Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so he did. And the people of Israel said to Moses, “Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?”

The rod is also a picture of God’s authority over man (Psalm 2:9, 23:4, 89:32; Isaiah 10:24, 11:4, Ezekiel 20:37). Jesus, in His divine authority, was given the title the Rod (Isaiah 11:1 and Micah 6:9). The rod was also an emblem of an apostle’s authority in the church (1 Corinthians 4:21).

Murmurers (complainers) are rarely satisfied by evidence or the resolution of one issue. Complainers are usually not issue-motivated, though they may claim to be and appear to be. More often they are heart-motivated. They sometimes murmur because they have complaining, discontented hearts. The complaining heart is demonstrated when people murmur about one issue after another, never being satisfied. So, God would give them an unmistakable answer to this matter of contention – then rid Himself of the complaints.

When Moses checked on the rods the next day, Aaron’s rod – and only the rod of Aaron – had sprouted. But God gave, as in the words of Acts 1:3, many infallible proofs, to demonstrate His approval of Aaron’s leadership. God gives us more than enough evidence; our problem is a lack of willingness to see what He has made clear. The clear choice of Aaron meant that he was God’s chosen priest and the nation was required to recognize it.

Each murmurer from the different tribes took his rod, and clearly saw that his had not budded or borne fruit, and that Aaron’s had. We can imagine Moses carefully inspecting the other rods, noting that there was nothing on them resembling a sprout, bud, or blossom. This confirmed God’s choice of Aaron, Aaron’s authority as assigned by God, and that the authority of God’s appointed high priest is fruitful. The difference between Aaron’s rod and the others could be attributed to God alone. It was a miracle that only God could do. This should have made Aaron humbler; what God did to affirm the choice of Aaron was something that had nothing to do with Aaron himself. The unfruitful rods were given back to their owners. The fruitful rod was kept before the LORD.

Aaron’s rod was to be kept in the ark of the covenant, as another example of Israel’s failure and rebellion. When God looked down from heaven into the ark, He saw emblems of Israel’s sin: The tablets of the law that they broke, the manna that they complained about, and Aaron’s rod which was the answer to their rebellion. The covering blood of sacrifice was applied to the lid covering over these reminders of Israel’s sin, so God “saw” the blood “covering” their sin, and atonement was made.

God noted that their murmuring and complaining against Aaron was actually murmuring and complaining against Himself. At the same time, there was not another direct rebellion against Aaron’s authority as the high priest in Israel after this. “The sign was efficacious; for while the spirit of rebellion manifested itself subsequently in other ways, it may safely be said that any complaint against the rights of the God-appointed priesthood ceased from this time.”

Considering the miraculous confirmation of Aaron’s priesthood, the people feared they were next to be judged and destroyed, and this was not an unreasonable fear. This kind of feverish fear doesn’t necessarily mean their hearts were changed. (Guzik)

Hearts are only changed by God in the willing hearts and minds of those who’s hearts are soft to things of God.

41.u. “Let My People Go” 3. Gnats/Lice

Exodus 8:16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

This plague came unannounced. This time God did not show Pharaoh the mercy of a warning and an invitation to repentance. These magicians could use occult powers to change a rod into a snake, to turn water into blood, and to summon frogs – yet they could no bring forth lice. This is the finger of God: When the magicians said this to Pharaoh, it showed they knew there was a power greater than their own, yet it was a power that they did not honor and serve. The hardness of Pharaoh’s heart is shown when he would not even listen to the analysis of his own advisers. There was no rational reason why he insisted on resisting and rejecting the LORD God. (Guzik)

It is to be noticed that the third plague, whatever it was, came without warning. It was God’s judgment on Pharaoh for hardening his heart and breaking his promise (Exodus 8:15); and he was not given the option of avoiding it by submission to God’s will. (Ellicott)

Any study of this passage will fall on a discussion on whether the plague was gnats, lice, or mosquitoes. I don’t really think this matters and needs much if any discussion. The point(s) that are important:

God did not warn Pharaoh
The power of God was displayed
The impact of this plague affected all of Egypt, man, and beast
Secret arts of the magicians could not produce the same
The magicians recognized the finger of God in this plague
The magicians advised Pharaoh of this
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened
Pharaoh would not listen

What causes a heart to become so hard that it cannot reason or see logic and cause and effect? Heart blindness to God, the Word of God, and things of God harden the heart. While on a walk this morning I was thinking about pride and what it can cause us to think, say, and do. Jealousy, envy, anger, hatred, arrogance, boastfulness, and self-reliance all have root in pride. It is a terrible seed to allow to find root in our hearts and minds. Being able to recognize this in ourselves is not as easy as one would think. It has so many avenues by which it can infect our thinking, words, and actions that most of the time we would blindly think, walk, or talk pridefully. I do know this, left on our own we would continually become more and more prideful without God’s Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit’s discernment. Pride will tell us that we are good enough or doing enough and allow us to become neglectful and complacent towards God’s Word and things of God. Pride will convince us that we have grown and matured to a level where little time in God’s Word is required anymore. Pride in our hearts will rob honor and glory due to Jesus Christ. How many families, friendships, marriages, jobs, neighbors, church membership, etc…. have been fractured due to pride?

How is a person to examine their heart and mind for pride? Ask God to expose it and hunger for and willingly read His Word with an expectation of being shown. David said it like this; “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

This is the heart and mind of what it would be like to seek and desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all that is thought, said, and done at all times.

41.s. “Let My People Go” – 1. Nile into Blood

Exodus 7:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water. Stand on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that turned into a serpent. And you shall say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But so far, you have not obeyed. Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood. The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile.”’” And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, so that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood. And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said. Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.

Seven full days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile. Here is the first of the ten plagues, the turning of the water into blood. It was a dreadful plague. The sight of such vast rolling streams of blood could not but strike horror. Nothing is more common than water: so wisely has Providence ordered it, and so kindly, that what is so needful and serviceable to the comfort of human life, should be cheap and almost every where to be had; but now the Egyptians must either drink blood, or die for thirst. Egypt was a pleasant land, but the dead fish and blood now rendered it very unpleasant. It was a righteous plague, and justly sent upon the Egyptians; for Nile, the river of Egypt, was their idol. That creature which we idolize, God justly takes from us, or makes bitter to us. They had stained the river with the blood of the Hebrews’ children, and now God made that river all blood. Never any thirsted after blood, but sooner or later they had enough of it. It was a significant plague; Egypt had great dependence upon their river, Zec 14:18; so that in smiting the river, they were warned of the destruction of all the produce of their country. The love of Christ to his disciples changes all their common mercies into spiritual blessings; the anger of God towards his enemies, renders their most valued advantages a curse and a misery to them. Aaron is to summon the plague by smiting the river with his rod. It was done in the sight of Pharaoh and his attendants, for God’s true miracles were not performed as Satan’s lying wonders; truth seeks no corners. See the almighty power of God. Every creature is that to us which he makes it to be water or blood. See what changes we may meet with in the things of this world; what is always vain, may soon become vexatious. See what mischievous work sin makes. If the things that have been our comforts prove our crosses, we must thank ourselves. It is sin that turns our waters into blood. The plague continued seven days; and in all that time Pharaoh’s proud heart would not let him desire Moses to pray for the removal of it. Thus the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath. No wonder that God’s anger is not turned away, but that his hand is stretched out still. (Henry)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened,…. Or “heavy” (c), dull and stupid, stiff and inflexible, and cannot lift up his heart or find in his heart to obey the will of God. (Gill)

These plagues were selected by God as miraculous signs, because He intended to prove thereby to the king and his servants, that He, Jehovah, was the Lord in the land, and ruled over the powers of nature with unrestricted freedom and omnipotence. For this reason God not only caused them to burst suddenly upon the land according to His word, and then as suddenly to disappear according to His omnipotent will, but caused them to be produced by Moses and Aaron and disappear again at their word and prayer, that Pharaoh might learn that these men were appointed by Him as His messengers, and were endowed by Him with divine power for the accomplishment of His will. (Keil)

Do you ever wonder if there are degrees of hardness that can affect the heart of a person who willingly denies and rejects God’s call on or into their lives? I know of people who have said God pursued them for years. They knew it and they kept turning away from it and blocking it. Yet, at some point and after many years of rejecting God’s call they repented and followed after God. Their life changed forever. They spoke of the ache in their heart for how long they rejected the peace, joy, hope, love, courage, and power they now have. They spoke of the falseness of what they filled their lives with thinking it was truly better than what God offered. They spoke of the forgiven shame, but more importantly the peace and power they had now by the grace and mercy of God’s love.

I look at Pharaoh and obviously his advisors and how their hearts were hardened much harder, more firm, and unyielding. There does appear to be some degrees of hardness of the heart, mind, and soul from which no man can recover. Pity the person who rejects and denies God’s call of redemption, salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life.

41.c. “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

Exodus 4:10 But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

Moses seems to be both afraid and unwilling to go as God has commissioned him to go. He has questions and thoughts about this commissioning;

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
“If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
“But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’”
“Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.
“Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

Do we harden our hearts to the whispers from the Holy Spirit of God? Do we say, “here am I, send me”, and deep down have no commitment to do what we are asked to do? Do we neglect time in His Word so we will not be spurred on, or have to deny and reject the Holy Spirit of God speaking to our hearts and minds? Do we become complacent in things of God so we neither get convicted of sin in our lives or be directed to do or say something for the Kingdom of God?

I fear we are more like Moses than like those who readily GO as commissioned. I don’t speak well. I don’t think fast. My vocabulary is weak. My understanding, at times, is flawed. I am not believable. I am not gifted for the task given. I am afraid of what others will think or say. Maybe if I close my eyes and plug my ears these quiet whispers from the Holy Spirit of God leading, guiding, and directing me to speak and do what I am hesitant to do, will go away.

Let our time in His Word grow our faith and willingness to say and do what the Holy Spirit of God is speaking into our hearts and minds be seared into our souls in an ever-growing and never-ceasing God-honoring and glorifying life.

41.a. “That they may believe”

Exodus 4:2 The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

That rod of Moses would part the Red Sea. It would strike a rock and see water pour forth. It would be raised over battle until Israel won. It would be called the rod of God. Not only did Moses’ rod become like a snake; it became a real snake that was frightening enough to Moses that he ran from it. We see the faith of Moses when he reached out to grab the snake when God commanded him to. The tail is the most dangerous place to grab a snake; yet Moses was unharmed. Moses did what God told him to do even when it was uncomfortable. (Guzik)

A burning bush that does not get consumed, the voice of God speaking directly to Moses, a staff turning into a snake, the snake turning back into the staff, Moses’s hand turning leprous and then being made clean and whole again, and a promise of turning the water from the Nile into blood were all given to Moses as confirmation of God’s power, sovereignty, and calling of Moses to lead the Israelites out of cruel bondage. There was no written Word of God or indwelling Holy Spirit. There were promises given to chosen faith-filled men of God, whom God visited via dreams or other means of confirmation, that were passed down from generation to generation. Imagine how hard it would be to believe the promises of a “Land flowing with milk and honey” and become a “great nation” while being in slavery for over 300 years. Day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year these chosen of God were to keep their eyes focused on the Promises of God. Obviously, there were those who did and there were those who did not, such is the life of faith or faithlessness.

Fast forward to today some 4,000 years later and we have been given; The Word of God, the recorded history of the Israelites, God’s miracles, faithful men, evil men, Jesus Christ the redeemer and savior of man, promises of judgment, heaven and hell, promises of eternal life and eternal torment, the indwelling Holy Spirit, the promise of Jesus returning to gather His people, and like the times of Noah – Moses – Jesus – to now there are those who believe and trust in the promises of God (though they seem far off) and those who disregard and reject them.

39.s. “To him shall be the obedience of the peoples”

Genesis 49:8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you; your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s cub; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down; he crouched as a lion and as a lioness; who dares rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. Binding his foal to the vine and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, he has washed his garments in wine and his vesture in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

Judah, the fourth son of Jacob, comes in for the supremacy after the three former have been set aside. His personal prowess, the perpetuity of his dominion, and the luxuriance of his soil are then described. “Thee shall thy brethren praise.” This is an allusion to his name, which signifies praise Genesis 29:35. As his mother praised the Lord for her fourth son, so shall his brethren praise him for his personal excellence. Ardor of temperament, decision of character, and frankness of acknowledgment are conspicuous even in the blemishes of his early life. Tenderness of conscience, promptitude in resolve, capacity for business, and force of eloquence come out in his riper years. These are qualities that win popular esteem. “Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies.” They shall flee before him, but shall not escape his powerful grasp. They shall be compelled to yield to his overwhelming power. “Thy father’s sons shall bow down to thee.” Not only his enemies, but his friends, shall acknowledge his sway. (BARNES)

Judah is compared, not to a lion raging and ranging, but to a lion enjoying the satisfaction of his power and success, without creating vexation to others; this is to be truly great. Judah should be the royal tribe, the tribe from which Messiah the Prince should come.(HENRY)

In a powerful way, this prophecy over Judah is a description of Judah’s greatest descendant: Jesus Christ. “The dying patriarch was speaking of his own son Judah; but while speaking of Judah he had a special eye to our Lord, who sprang from the tribe of Judah. Everything therefore which he says of Judah, the type, he means with regard to our greater Judah, the antitype, our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Spurgeon)

11.h. “The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might”

Micah 7:13 But the earth will be desolate because of its inhabitants, for the fruit of their deeds. Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land; let them graze in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old. As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them marvelous things. The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf; they shall lick the dust like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds; they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God, and they shall be in fear of you.

Job 4:8    As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.

Proverbs 1:31    therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.

Isaiah 3:10-11    Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.  Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

Jeremiah 17:10    “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Jeremiah 21:14    I will punish you according to the fruit of your deeds, declares the LORD; I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is around her.”

Galatians 6:7-8   Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

There is a time coming when all mankind will be held accountable for their deeds. Some will see in their lifetime the fruit of their deeds falling back on them. Others will pass on into eternity and it will be seeming to us that they beat the judgment due them. God is not mocked and their deeds will catch up to them in eternity at the Great White Throne Judgment. They are the ones who reject redemption through Jesus Christ, reject their sin, reject their need for repentance and forgiveness, and reject the gracious and merciful gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. They have chosen wisdom of this world over the understanding, knowledge, and truth proclaimed in God’s Word. We all were in this state before God, but He somehow softened our heart to the message of the gospel. We were just like those who still reject Jesus Christ. It is hard to say how God’s Word and Gospel cut straight into our heart but it most certainly did. I still don’t know how a person could have had their eyes, heart, mind, and soul opened up to the gospel and the need for salvation, forgiveness, and redemption and then reject it. But scripture is clear that there are those who do exactly that. For those born again, their deeds should all be for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. Our Savior bought and paid for our sin at a great price and we should ever be mindful to live to honor that great sacrifice and gift of eternal life.

7.h. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

Revelation 11:1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Deuteronomy 17:6     On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.

Deuteronomy 19:15    “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

Matthew 18:16    But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

2 Corinthians 13:1    This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

These two witnesses of God will proclaim messages of God on Jesus Christ and pending judgment. These messengers will speak the truth during a very difficult time on earth. We have already read of death, famine, pestilence, wars, earthquakes, and many other judgments from the hand of God on those who have rejected His offer of redemption through Jesus Christ. Can you imagine what it must be like to have at least 1/2 of the world’s population die and then have all of these acts of Judgment on top of that? What hope of survival is there for these people that are left behind. We must take note that these two witnesses are specifically in Jerusalem, the Holy City, which seems to have been taken over by the worship of false idols and the antichrist. They speak with the authority of God to those who remain behind. They speak to the Israelites with a message of deliverance. But like now, there are those who listen and repent and those who do not. It is clear that those who do repent will be persecuted for their belief and will die because of it. Those remaining will see the works of God through these two messengers and acts of power given to them from God.

How would we accept a message of redemption and/or judgment in a doomsday scenario? Would we accept it knowing that acceptance meant sure death or would we reject it and hope there was another way to survive? Would we look for survival and not give a thought about eternity? Would we just harden ourselves against the message and fight for our life any way possible? The truth is we would choose the very same thing we choose during a time of prosperity, grace, peace, and love. We choose to believe and seek redemption or we choose to deny the consequences/judgment of rejecting it. The outcome is still promised either way. With redemption comes eternal life. With the rejection of Jesus Christ comes eternal damnation. We intentionally choose our destiny by either believing and serving, honoring, trusting, following and obeying Jesus Christ or by rejecting this offer of grace-filled and abounding mercy through Jesus Christ.

Do whatever He tells you.

Exodus 17:8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.”

Joshua 11:15     Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

Matthew 28:20    teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

John 2:5     His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

“So Joshua did as Moses told him.” So Joshua did. He left nothing undone” “Observe all that I have commanded you.” “Do whatever he tells you.”

Noah did as the Lord commanded, Abraham did as the Lord commanded. Samuel, Elisha, Elijah, Esther, Ruth, Daniel, Isaiah, Nehemiah, 12 Disciples, Paul, Barnabas, Timothy….. and the list can go on and on of those we read about who did as the Lord commanded.

Why does this seem natural to some? Is it possible that these people believed (relied on, trusted in, and clung to) God? Could it be that they made with an intentional heart, mind, and soul choice which was fueled by a desire to seek and honor God?

There is something different about people who intentionally choose each day to deny self and humbly, seek, and desire, God. they want to grow in understanding and knowledge of Him. They want to honor Him through what they think and say. They want to worship and praise Him. They want to follow and obey Him. They want to hear His whispers of guidance and correction into their daily life.

We grow in obedience, understanding, reliance, hope, strength, and power when scripture is more than a book for times of trouble. When there are intentional commitment and humble purposeful desire for scripture, it becomes the like the air we breathe, the food we eat, and water we drink because without it death comes quickly. Without it, there is no understanding of God’s love and wrath. There is no understanding of God’s power and might. There is no understanding of His precious promises. There is no basis to build faith and hope. There is no place of refuge. There is no divine peace in our soul. There is no way for us to “Do as He commands”.

How are you to be able to “Do whatever He tells you” if you are not seeking to hear Him speak? Make a choice today to read His word and desire for Him speak to your heart, mind, and soul. Do whatever He tells you.

1. Written with the finger of God / To be kept as a sign against rebels

Exodus 16:31 Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.” As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept. The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)

Exodus 25:16     And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.

Exodus 25:21     And you shall put the mercy seat on the top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I shall give you

Exodus 30:6   And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.

Exodus 31:18    And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Exodus 38:21    These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were recorded at the commandment of Moses,

Exodus 40:20     He took the testimony and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark and set the mercy seat above on the ark.

Numbers 1:53     But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.”

Numbers 17:10    And the LORD said to Moses, “Put back the staff of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebels, that you may make an end of their grumblings against me, lest they die.”

Put into the are the testimony that I give you. The tablets, an omer of manna, and the staff. These were to be reminders of God’s mighty power displayed before all of Egypt and Israel. God’s provision for 40 years, and God’s commandments. These were a constant reminder before the people and were declared by God as a testimony to His chosen. They were to keep people from forgetting all that God had done and by application what He can do.

I think about the Bible, His written word, given to us with much more testimony about Him, His love for us, His plan for us, His expectations of us, His desire for us, His provision for us, and eternity. Isn’t amazing how He reaches out to His creation with such caring love. Isn’t it awesome that He not only gave his written word to us but also as it is written in

Do not allow complacent neglect to have any part of your heart, mind, and soul. Be intentional in your full commitment to humbly serve, honor, glorify, worship, follow, and obey Him.

We have been given a great testimony to believe and proclaim.