Day 29: Exodus 13:17-15:21 “The Red Sea- God Fights Our Battles, Let’s Not Be Afraid”

Although the Israelites seemed to leave in a hurry, Moses got Joseph’s remains to take with them as had been promised.

The following verses are counted in the top ten most influential passages for my own life.

17-18 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.” So God led the people around to the Red Sea.

There is so much to take from this. If I knew I was going to Canaan, I would have been inclined to take the most direct route. But God alone knew what obstacles and challenges were along that path, and instead of risking that the Israelites’ free will could take them back to the land of slavery, he took them another path- towards the Red Sea- never mind that it was a body of water and “naturally” impossible to cross.

21-22 By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

14:1-4 The Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp near Pi Hahiroth by the sea. Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.

The display of power with the plagues hadn’t been enough. God wanted the Egyptians to know that He was the Lord. The Israelites agreed to camp there, but I doubt they understood that Pharaoh would soon pursue them. God’s plan was to be known and glorified, and that involved provoking enemies to pursue God’s people who had been led by Him to be (seemingly) trapped in the desert.

When the king of Egypt was told about the Israelites, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. They took an army of the 600 best chariots with all the other chariots in Egypt.

8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites.

All Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, horsemen, and troops pursued the Israelites.

As Pharaoh approached, the people saw them and were terrified.

11-12 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you, “Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?’ It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

How quickly people were to blame a person when God was clearly the one who led them out. It’s also interesting how easily they forgot the horrors of their slavery and past life which they had cried out to be saved from for so long.

13-14 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

God told Moses to raise his staff over the waters to divide the water so the Israelites could walk through on dry ground.

19-20 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night, the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

The waters were divided, the Israelites crossed over, and the Egyptians pursued them into the sea.

24-25 The Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

After the Israelites passed through, God told Moses to stretch his hand back over the water, and the waters flowed back over the Egyptians. Not one of them survived.

30-31 Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

You’d think they would have done that after all the plagues. We humans can be stubborn creatures.

Chapter 15 begins with a song that Moses and the Israelites sang to the Lord telling of what He had done.

Below are several verses.

2 “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

3 The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.

11 Who among the gods is like you, O Lord?

13 In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.

18 The Lord will reign for ever and ever.”

Our strength and our abilities are never required for what God wants to do with us and through us. If He seems to be leading you to a Red Sea, don’t question it. He can move mountains. All things are possible for Him and for us with his power. Oh, that we would rest in His power, trust in His love, and not limit the great works He wants to do so that those around us would know He is the Lord.

Father, you are mighty. In your strength and your love, you have redeemed me from my own slavery. I pray that everyone who is aware of their own weakness tonight would rest in your strength and your love. Your power is enough.

 

 

Day 26: Exodus 7:1-8:32 “Patience In The Process Of Deliverance & The Plagues Of Egypt”

2-5 The Lord said to Moses, “You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgement I will bring out my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

It’s interesting- God told Moses to do something, but then essentially said it wouldn’t work. “Go tell Pharaoh this, but he won’t listen to you.” Ever feel like God has told you to do something and it doesn’t seem to be working? I think those are the moments when we need to remember this story. God had a plan, and Pharaoh saying no was all a part of it.

Oh, and verse 7 says Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 at the time. How’s that for a remarkable plan at that age!

I’m often surprised how many people aren’t aware of the power of magic and sorcery. As a young person, I was fascinated with the subject, but then learned that God forbids it. It’s not that other great spiritual forces don’t exist- after all, God is the one who created all spiritual beings. It’s just that God is the most powerful and in his love and jealousy has instructed us to only call upon the greatest power- himself.

Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and it turned into a snake. However, Pharaoh summoned the sorcerers and magicians who each threw down his own staff and had it turn into a snake.

12 But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

In terms of spiritual forces, I understand the excitement in the illusion of being able to conjure up things and perform miracles, however, God is the one and only Most High. He is the absolute supreme power.

The Lord told Moses what to do with Pharaoh the next morning-to take the same staff, tell Pharaoh what the Lord had to say, and instruct Aaron to hold the staff over the waters so that they would turn into blood.

Verse 20 says they did just as the Lord commanded, but it also says he struck the water of the Nile to change it into blood. The fish died and the river smelled. The Egyptians could not drink the water.

22 But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard.

Again, Pharaoh didn’t believe Moses and Aaron. After all, his magicians had just replicated the same plague.

25, 8:1 Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile. Then the Lord said to Moses to go back to Pharaoh.

I imagine those days passed quite slowly for Moses and Aaron.

They returned to Pharaoh with the threatened consequence of a frog “infestation.” This time, however, Aaron stretched his hand over the waters as instructed.

7 But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts.

Pharaoh asked Moses and Aaron to pray for God to take the frogs away, and said he would release the Israelites. Moses asked Pharaoh for the exact time he wanted that prayer so that he would know “there is no one like the Lord our God.”

Moses prayed and the frogs died.

15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

God told Moses to tell Aaron to strike the ground with the staff, and he did so.

17 All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.

It’s interesting that at first, God told Moses to have Aaron stretch out his hand over the water, and he struck the water. The second plague, God told Moses to have Aaron stretch his hand over the water and he did so. The third plague, God told Moses to tell Aaron to strike the ground and he did so. Sometimes, God’s instructions are very specific.

It’s also interesting to note that the Bible says the Lord told Moses the instructions. Aaron must have had great faith to be able to be a part of such an important event while relying on the voice and instructions of the Lord through someone else.

18 When the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.

19 The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”

God stepped it up another notch and told Pharaoh about the next plague. Swarms of flies would come on the land, but no swarms of flies would be in Goshen where the Israelites lived.

23 “I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.”

Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron that they could sacrifice to God “here in the land.” It wasn’t what they had asked for, but Pharaoh was trying to bargain.

Moses responded that since their sacrifices were detestable to the Egyptians, they needed to go three days into the desert as God had commanded.

28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”

Moses had learned that Pharaoh could change his mind.

29 Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go.”

Moses prayed and the flies left, but Pharaoh still wouldn’t let the people go.

Lord, thank you for your deliverance. Let me be confident in your ways even when they seem to take longer than I like or appear to not be working. Your ways are good and I trust you. Let them know you are the Lord.

 

Day 22: Genesis 43:1-45:28 “Joseph’s Big Reveal & Unimaginable Mercy And Forgiveness”

Unfortunately for Simeon, Joseph’s brothers didn’t return quickly. Jacob stayed adamant that Benjamin remain with him, fearing for his life. That all changed, however, when they ran out of food again.

Judah pleaded with his father to release Benjamin into his care. He vowed to take personal responsibility for his brother, but Jacob still refused. Finally, Jacob realized that his entire family would die without more provisions, so he sent Benjamin back to Egypt with his other sons.

When Joseph saw his brothers, he had them taken to his house for a feast. The brothers were afraid though.

18 They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

It’s always interesting how people can fear the very thing happening to themselves that they have done to others.

The brothers explained to Joseph’s steward what had originally happened with the silver. They were assured of their safety so they prepared the gifts which they had brought for Joseph.

26-28 When Joseph came home, they presented to him they gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. He asked them how they were, and then he said, “How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?”

They replied, “Your servant our father is still alive and well.” And they bowed down, prostrating themselves before him.

Joseph’s prophetic dreams had just come to fruition.

As Joseph met his full-blooded brother, Benjamin, he became very emotional and ran out looking for a place to cry. After he had washed his face, he came back out had the food served.

33 The men were seated in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked  at each other in astonishment.

Joseph commanded his servant to fill the brothers’ bags with all the food they could carry. He also instructed that their silver be returned and that his silver cup be placed in Benjamin’s sack. The next day after he sent the brothers on their way, Joseph sent his servants after them, accusing them of taking his silver cup. (On a side note, verses 5 and 15 mention Joseph using divination and one mentions the cup as a tool for this.) The brothers defended themselves, declared their innocence, and said the guilty one would become a slave. After Benjamin was found to have the silver cup, all the brothers returned with him to Joseph’s house. Judah pulled him aside, explained his vow to protect Benjamin, and asked if he could take his place as a slave.

Judah was the one who had originally talked his brothers out of killing Joseph. It’s interesting to see him now standing up to honor his commitment to protect his brother at his own expense.

45:1 Joseph could no longer control himself before all of his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!”

No one else was there when Joseph made himself known to his brothers, but the Egyptians heard him weeping and told Pharaoh’s house about it.

3-8 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence. 

Can you imagine the fear when realizing that the person you betrayed and considered killing has now become one of the most influential and powerful people in the world? It would be normal to assume that the wronged person would use that power for revenge, but not Joseph.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 

For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 

So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.

This story shows that not only does God use people’s bad for good, but that maybe sometimes it’s all part of the big plan. The Lord knew what would happen and he forewarned Joseph about it when he was younger. In fact, his warning is what helped provoke his brothers in the first place.

Joseph told his brothers to send for his father and all that he had. He told them to bring his entire family to Goshen so that he could provide for them.

Pharaoh and all of his officials were pleased to hear about Joseph’s brothers, and Pharaoh even instructed him to have his brothers take animals to help them move.

18-20 I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.

“You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come. Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.'”

Again, God’s mercy, grace, and love are unfathomable. He forgives and shows kindness. How much more should we do the same?

I love the Bible for being transparent and relevant.

24 He sent his brothers away, and as they were leaving he said to them, “Don’t quarrel on the way!”

The brothers went home and told Jacob about Joseph and his spirit was revived.

Lord, thank you for your unending mercy and grace. I can’t even understand your goodness, yet sometimes it’s easier to see in stories when your’e not having to also experience things like the famine and being sold into slavery. Joseph and Simeon both spent time in prison as innocent men and Jacob thought his son was dead, but I can see your good surrounding them. Help me to see the good surrounding me at all times. Let me have peace that anything which may come upon my life will be used for good. Grant me peace and patience and help us all love you and each other today.

 

 

Day 19: Genesis 34:1-35:29 “Rape, Revenge, and Sleeping With His Father’s Wife. And Yes, This Is The Word Of God.”

Once the family settled, Leah’s daughter, Dinah, went out to make some girlfriends. Verse 2 tells us Shechem “violated” her, but the next verse says his heart was drawn to her, he loved her, and he spoke tenderly to her.

In verse 4, Shechem told his dad to get him Dinah as his wife.

Jacob and his sons found out what happened, the Bible clarifies that they had slept together, and Shechem’s father came to talk to Jacob. Hamor, Shechem’s dad, asked Jacob for their families to intermarry- for their daughters to marry each other’s sons. Shechem also asked Jacob and his sons for permission to marry Dinah, and he asked them to name any price for her.

Dinah’s brothers were upset by Shechem’s actions with their sister, so they lied and told Shechem they could all marry between their families on one condition- that Shechem and ALL of their family got circumcised.

Shechem agreed and went to go tell the men in the town and his family. They all agreed as well, and so all the men got circumcised.

25 Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male.

Jacob replied by telling them how much trouble they had brought upon the family, saying that the people in the land could easily band together and destroy his entire family.

31 But Simeon and Levi replied, “Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?”

God told Jacob to go settle in Bethel and build an altar there, so Jacob told his people the plan and told them to get rid of their foreign gods, to purify themselves, and to change their clothes.

5 Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.

It’s amazing how God can protect His people. I definitely don’t understand his mercy and grace. Lot’s wife looked back and got turned to salt, but Dinah’s brothers killed all the men in a town. I’m just reminded that at the end of the day, we can’t lean on our own understanding.

Once in Bethel, God appeared to Jacob again to reaffirm his promises of Abraham and also to redeclare his name change to Israel.

As the family traveled on, Rachel died while giving birth to another son. With her last breath, she named him Ben-Oni meaning son of my trouble, but Jacob renamed him Benjamin meaning son of my right hand.

As a side note, Genesis 35:21 is the verse where the Bible starts referring to Jacob as Israel.

The next verse tells of Reuben, Leah’s first born, sleeping with his father’s wife, Bilhah, who was Rachel’s concubine that she gave to Jacob when she was barren. I guess this would have been his step-mother?

Jacob went home to Isaac, and at age one hundred and eighty, Isaac died.

God, I don’t understand your ways or your mercy, but I know You are good. Please have mercy on me where I have failed you and help me to follow you. Since we have been given these promises through faith in Christ, I come before you and ask also for your blessing upon my life and those reading this. Thank you.

 

Day 18: Genesis 30:25-33:20 “A Father-In-Law, Wrestling With God, and A Brother’s Reconciling”

After Rachel gave birth to Joseph, Jacob asked Laban if he and his family could return to his homeland. Laban insisted that they stay, saying that he had learned by divination that his blessings had come as a result of Jacob being there. Jacob felt that Laban’s attitude towards him was different. Also, the Lord told Jacob to go back to his relatives and that He would be with them.

This part is interesting because I have definitely seen this scenario in my own life. I think God sometimes prefaces a shift or move by decreasing the hospitality around us.

Jacob told Rachel and Leah that the Lord had instructed him to go back.

31:16 “Do whatever God has told you,” they said. At the end of the day, these women trusted their husband to hear from the Lord and lead their family.

Perhaps because of her own faith, Rachel stole her father’s household gods before she left. Since Laban had not approved of them leaving, Jacob took his family and left one day without his knowing. Laban found out about it 3 days later and pursued them, catching up with them a week later in Gilead.

24 Then God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream at night and said to him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”

Laban confronted Jacob, asking why he had run off without even letting him kiss his daughters and grandchildren goodbye. He also asked why Jacob had stolen his gods.

31-32 Jacob answered, “I was afraid, because I thought you would take your daughters away from me by force. But if you find anyone who has your gods, he shall not live.”

Rachel had put the gods in her camel’s saddle and was sitting on them.

35 Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” 

Jacob got angry with Laban’s accusations since he had no idea what Rachel had done, and Laban and Jacob made an agreement to keep peace between them. The next morning, Laban kissed his daughters and grandchildren and went home.

Jacob had been gone for 20 years, but he had originally left to escape Esau’s anger. As he approached his homeland, angels of God met him. Jacob sent messengers to Esau to assure peace, but they returned announcing that Esau and 400 men were coming to see them. In great fear and distress, Jacob divided everything and everyone into 2 groups so that at least 1 group could survive.

Jacob prayed to God, fearful, but remembering what the Lord had said about prospering him. The next day, he selected goats, ewes, rams, camels, cows, bulls, and donkeys to be sent ahead as gifts to Esau. Jacob instructed his servants to go in individual packs with distance between them. He hoped these gifts would make it possible for Esau to receive Jacob.

That night, Jacob sent his wives, children, and possessions across the stream, but he stayed back. A man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled the man.

26-28, 30 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” 

But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

The man asked him, “What is your name?”

“Jacob,” he answered.

“Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.”

So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, so he divided his children, putting his maidservants and their children first, Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph at the back. Jacob went ahead and bowed to the ground as he approached Esau.

4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept.

Esau wanted to accompany Jacob back home, but Jacob insisted that they go more slowly because of the children and young animals. Esau insisted that some of his men accompany Jacob, but Jacob insisted that he would come to him in Seir. Esau agreed and went to Seir, but Jacob went to Succoth where he bought some land for 100 pieces of silver and built a place for himself and his livestock.

Lord, I don’t understand your ways. Thank you for showing that your grace and mercy cover our failings. Your ways are bigger than our sin. If I am prone to judge Jacob for the way he treated his brother and wives, I’m sure I am prone to judge others as well. Forgive me and help me to love and accept all without finding fault or judgement. Help me to follow your ways.