Exodus - PASSOVER

To begin study of Jesus in Exodus as the Passover, we must define the compound word.
As always, using Webster's 1829 dictionary;
Pass - "to move from one place to another"
Over - the opposite side.
Together Passover means "to move from one place to another to the opposite side."  In the book of Exodus we understand that is just what happened to the enslaved Hebrews. Scripture reports that their lives were "made bitter with hard bondage."
Exodus 1.14 opens with the children of Israel as slaves in Egypt.   For nearly 430 years, according to history, this had been so.

In another epic tale of the Majesty of the Lord, God gave a leader by the name of Moses.  Of course, if one follows the story, Moses was taken in by the Pharaoh's daughter as a baby.  Thus, Moses was raised up in the house of Pharaoh.  However, there came a day when Moses learned of his true heritage of the Hebrews rather than the Egyptians, paving the way for how the Lord would use Moses to deliver the people from such "hard bondage."  But that is not where we will seek the name of the Lord.
God told Moses to tell Pharaoh, "let my people go."  Ten times Moses went to the highest authority in the land, ten times Pharaoh "hardened his heart" and ten times God sent plagues as Pharaoh rejected the Lord's will.          The Plagues:

1. Water into blood (Ex 7:14-24)
2. Frogs (Ex 7:25-8:15)
3. Lice (Ex 8:16-19)
4. Flies (Ex 8:20-32)
5. Diseased livestock (Ex 9:1-7)
6. Boils/sores (Ex 9:8-12)
7. Hail and fire (Ex 9:13-35)
8. Locusts (Ex 10:1-20)
9. Darkness for three days (Ex 10:21-29)
10. DEATH of all the firstborn (Ex 11:1-12:36)

Until the tenth plague, Pharaoh, though bothered, didn't heed Moses' warning and directive of the Lord's word.  Moses told Pharaoh the "death angel" was coming by on a certain night. You see, he had folks to clean up after the first nine plagues and had money enough to restore all lost because of the plagues.  Although the plagues affected him it didn't affect him that bad.  Ah, but one does not reject the Word of the Lord indefinitely without dire consequences!  The tenth plague, death of ALL the firstborn, from the "King's house to the poor man's house," struck at what was obviously the point of his rejection.  As long as his family was safe, there was nothing to worry about.  You see, when you harden your heart to the will of God and His Word, it not only affects you but others around you.

Before the Lord executed the tenth plague, HE made a way of escape for the Hebrews. Moses may have given Pharaoh this instruction also but we are not told that in scripture.

• The Lord gave instruction, through His preacher, to "prepare a lamb."
• This lamb was to be a yearling, without spot or blemish, young and tender. (Ex 12.5-7)
• This lamb was be killed and its blood "applied to the door posts of each home."
• The blood was to be put at the top, left and right of the door posts.
• This sacrificial blood would be above them, on both sides of them and below them as it would drip down.

When the "death angel," as ordered by God, passes through each home in Egypt that dark night, the only homes spared death of the firstborn would be those that had the blood applied.
Ex 12.13 reads: "When I see the blood I will passover you."
Passover, moved from one place to another to the opposite side.
So, they were "moved from one place to another" or toward the Promised Land when they left Egypt.

• Where is Jesus as the Passover?
• Who was the "Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world?" (Jn 1.29)
• Who is known as the "Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world?" (I Pet 1.19, 20)

So if the slain lamb is a picture of the Lord Jesus, would it reason to say that if one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation from death His blood brings, one would be saved from death/eternal damnation?

Genesis - CREATOR

As noted in previous entry, "Making Much of Jesus" began appropriately/Providentially on Jan 1, 2017 in the Junior Class @ GBC (http://www.gbccornelia.com/).

Genesis - He is the "Creator."  He is, of course so much more but this is the Name chosen to find "Jesus" in Genesis.  The word that is descriptive of "Jesus" over and over is "Lord."  The students were asked for His full Name, which is, of course, "The Lord Jesus Christ."  So, everywhere one see's "Lord," one could also substitute His Name, "Jesus."

By the way - did you know that Webster defines the word Genesis as "the formation of a line, plane or solid...in other words, 'a starting point.'" Mr. Webster gives another marvelous fact about the word "Genesis;"  Did you know that in the original Hebrew, this book has no title!"  Why is that so, one might ask?  I believe it's because unlike the finite Greek word origins from which we get most all English words, there is no beginning in the things of God!  He is the "I AM" and there is no reason to "define" a beginning with Him.  Yet, because of his great love towards His Creation, He gave us a "comprehensible" word to understand Him, "Genesis."

To clarify His Name(s), the "Trinity Chart" was utilized to identify Jesus' part of the Godhead.  A lofty subject indeed but necessary to begin the lesson.  God, the Father, God, the Son, God, the Holy Ghost.  One person, three offices.  Maybe the children will remember, maybe not but it's a good teaching tool.
Using this chart, I began to explain that Jesus is "God with us," as His name "Emmanuel" defines.  Then, I began to point out the men who "saw the Lord," from Genesis.

• Enoch "walked with God," (Gen 5.24), 
• Noah answered the Lord's directive "come into the Ark," indicating He was on the inside but "Who shut the door?" (Gen 7.1, 10).  
• Abram had "The Lord appeared" to him (Gen 12.7, 18.1).  
• Jacob dreamed a dream and  "saw the Lord standing" at the top of the ladder that stretched from earth to heaven (Gen 28.13).  
• Joseph in his faithful, humble manner knew that "the Lord was with him." (Gen 39.2,5, 21 and 23)

These men actually "saw" the Lord and one knew He was near.   So, in Genesis, "the Creator" is also the Lord Jesus Christ who is with us.  The Creator, imagine!  He who stepped out on nothing and created everything!  He who spoke the worlds into existence, "condescended to men of low estate," (Rom 12.16).  He was interested in His children not yet born who would go back to the first book of the bible and see Him!
 

Creator, seen of some men,

Genesis, the start but not the end.

He is there and will be in the next book too.

I see Him there, do you?

Sunday School lesson(s) 2017

In a few weeks time we will be into another year.  2017!  Who would've believed it?  As we end the year, we will also be ending lessons from the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. The Lord has graciously allowed this blogger to teach the Junior class, 10-13 year olds. In the heart of this blogger has been to give the students opportunity to memorize scriptue. They have diligently worked on Isaiah 53, Ps 119.89, 2 Pet 1.21 and 2 Tim 2.15, among others.  It is now on this heart to begin learning, via song, Psalm 19.7-10.  This "song" was taught to me years ago and an inspiration as to a wonderful technique of memorizing scripture. Along with the memorization of this Psalm, it is strong on the heart of this blogger to begin a study on the names of Jesus.

MAKING MUCH OF JESUS

At our Camp Meeting in October of this year, a preacher was asked to testify of the message the Holy Ghost gave his heart many years ago, titled, "Making much of Jesus."  I could not get away from this.  Memorizing scripture is good.  Scripture, of course, is inexhaustible in all but the REASON, it is all there in the first place, is "HIM!"
With that in mind, as time and space permit, successive blogs will elude to what is going on in the Junior class as they memorize Psalm 19.7-10 and learn of HIM by "Making much of Jesus."
I can't wait!
Stay tuned...

Is this the man?

Current morning devotion finds us in the book of Matthew 4.1-11.
The temptation of Jesus by the devil.
Key points to start:

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil."

The Lord was not driven, He was "led of the Spirit..." - in my mind, indicating there was a point to the difficult test.


^2" And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered."
One may know how very man He was by this verse, "He was afterward an hungered."  
You would be also if you had not eaten for 40 days/nights!

³ "And when (not if, trust he will get to you too!) the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
Now the devil is called "the tempter."  He is predictable in this, he ALWAYS comes at one's weakest, most vulnerable time.  When you are at your lowest point physically, spiritually or mentally, beware. It has been preached by the old man of God that all three parts are very connected.  Thus, he has three venues in which to operate!
His first verbal/mental tactic is to question one's faith; "If you are who you say you are..." He is also predictable in this, when questioning the Lord Jesus Himself, or a believer.

• In response, the devil is given scripture.

⁴ But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
But wait!  That's not all the tempter will do. 

⁵ Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
⁶ And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Next question, a little more intense this time.  In questioning the Lord's Deity, he also sets up a prideful taunt:
"If you are really the Son of God, you would have no problem delivering yourself of such a physical catastrophe."  He attempts to get Jesus to PROVE He is who He says He is.  

• He completely ignores scriptues and attacks one's pride.  All the more reason to keep an    humble spirit.  You know, "the battle's not mine," said little David.

The Lord is not swayed by this taunt.  He says;"v⁷ ... It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Remember, it is not in his arsenal of weapons to show ANY mercy.  No watch what satan does.

⁸ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
⁹ And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

"All these things WILL I give thee...!!!"  Absolutely incredible that the devil would promise the Creator of everything, including the Tempter himself, 'all the kingdoms of the world.'"

• The final weapon; the promise of wealth and power, fame and fortune.

Our precious Saviour, always magnifying the Father, is very plain in what should be the believers only consideration in the day of temptation;

¹⁰ Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
¹¹ Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

To sum up:
We understand that the Tempter is a mighty adversary (I Pet 5.8) and we are certainly no match for him.  However, when one follows scriputre as the Lord demonstrated in this account, then we can one day walk by the devil and say, "..is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;..."(Isa 14.16)

How can you know God's will?

The title of today's thought is indeed provoking.  It has been stated that "the will of God is the

hardest thing one can know."  Some things regarding His will are obvious, as seen in the Law
and the Commandments.  Other choices and decisions in our lives are not so clear.

So built we the wall;...for the people had a mind to work. 4.6

To open this study, let's turn to the book of Nehemiah.

How in the world, did Nehemiah know it was God's will for him to build back the walls of Jerusalem?

In a word, he didn't. Events just "played out" that way.   Take a look at the circumstances that brought him to this conclusion;

In Nehemiah 1.2, clearly, he was homesick and inquired after his fellow countrymen.  In addition to being told in 1.3, "the remnant were in great affliction," he is also told that "the walls were broken down and the gates burned."

1. In his initial response to this report Nehemiah, "wept, mourned, fasted and prayed."  He did this because he knew the reason for such calamity was the sins of the people. So, he begins to pray that the Lord in 1.4-10, would be merciful to this people.
2. Being the "king's cupbearer," he was in the presence of the king, probably daily.  Because of being frequently in the king's presence, the king notices this usual content servant is sad and wants to know why.  Nehemiah explains about his country and his desperation to help.  Being a favored servant, so it seems, the king grants Nehemiah his desire.  Arrangements are made and off he goes to rebuild the wall.  2.1-8.

There is, of course, much more to this story but the subject at hand is this; God did not tell Nehemiah specifically to do this thing.  Circumstances were so ordered from the High Courts of the Glory world that the man was moved in the direction His Creator ordained!

Next, let's examine the story of Esther.

The key verse in this book is,
"...and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" 4.14.
Esther, whose Jewish name was "Hadassah," would've been a captive in this foreign land called "Shushan." (which is believed to be modern day Iraq).  She would've been a beautiful young maiden when one reads how she came to the king's palace.  She had no choice in where she was brought up  She had no choice in being an orphan in the care of her older and much loved cousin, Mordecai.  She certainly had no choice in the king's problems that caused her to be taken captive to the king's palace. 1.1-22
Ahh, but this is where "the plot thickens" as the saying goes.

1. She is brought in the presence of the King and her character as well as her beauty caused him to choose this young maiden for his queen.  2.17
2. A Jew in the house of the Persian King?  How could this possibly be God's will?
3. 3.7-13 A plot is hatched to destroy the Jews!  All for pride, arrogance and vengance!
4. Esther learns of the plot to destroy her people.  4.4  What is she to do?
5. 4.16  Esther had learned the ways of her people to pray, fast and seek God's will.  
6. She prepares a feast for her King.  She reveals what she knows of the who and what regarding the plot to annhialate her people, including herself! 5, 6.14, 7
7. The King, hearing the entire truth of the enemies plot takes action and the Jews are spared!

How could Esther have known God's will in taking her from her home and family?  In a word, "she couldn't."  But given the circumstances before, during and after she was queen, it is revealed that
"...and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" 4.14.

To any reader of this blog entry, rest assured that if God's will is not direct to the heart, trust, by faith, circumstances may reveal it.  
Further, if one must make a decision, and there is no time to wait, then make the best decision available with the circumstances given, by faith.
Otherwise, "wait and live patiently."  (Ps 27.14)