Daily Bible Portion (Wednesday)
Daily Bible Portion – 4 of 7
"AND I APPEARED"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 6:2-9:35, Ezekiel 28:25-29:21, Romans 9:14-17, 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1, Revelation 16)
Yeshua promised that if we really, sincerely believed in His words (the same words that He gave Moses), our lives would be transformed. He would fill us with the Helper called the Spirit of Truth who convicts us of the sin of unbelief and fills us with righteousness and the ability to discern against the wiles of the ruler of this world. To believe in Yahweh produces much fruit and causes His love to be perfected within us. (John 13:31-15:17). One True God!
Appearing before Pharaoh
(Exodus 7:6-19)
Moses and Aaron started their ministry in Yahweh’s service at the ages of eighty and eighty-three respectively. They were commanded to appear before Pharaoh and perform a miracle. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and it changed into a snake. Pharaoh’s magicians were able to duplicate this sign so the king of Egypt’s heart remained unchanged; he would not let the Israelites go into the desert to offer sacrifices to Yahweh.
Following Yahweh’s pattern, plagues appeared in stages to the Egyptians, attacking their gods, their Egyptian calendar, their feast days, their surroundings and houses and their clothing and flesh (Leviticus 13-14). By doing this, Yahweh was showing how detestable the ways of the Egyptians were and revealed the corruption of their hearts.
Note: Yahweh uses this illustration of Egypt and the plagues throughout the history of the Israelite people as a warning to them and future generations (believers included) not to assimilate into the ways of the nations around them, their foreign gods and idols. We must be careful not to allow or be tempted into elevating anything other than what He instructs us in His word or we too will be marked (consumed) and fall away like what happened to the Egyptians. (Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60; Isaiah 66:17; Amos 4:10; Matthew 24:6-7 and Revelation 16)
Yahweh knew that His people would be tempted and warned them ahead of time with these living examples in His word to prepare them. In this study (and the one to follow) we share about the Egyptian gods in an effort to inform. As an example, many believers today are worshiping the god of Saturn (called Saturnalia worship) without realizing. This pagan worship is deeply rooted in the Christian faith. Worship such as Christmas (Santa Claus, Christmas trees, mistletoe, Yule logs, wreaths etc), Easter (the Easter bunny, decorated eggs, sunrise worship, hot cross buns etc), Lent, Mardi Gras, Halloween, sexual immorality, even abortions aka child sacrifices all come out of Saturnalia worship. There is so much now on the Internet that makes it easy to research the origins of what we thought were ‘Christian,’ but are not. As we study the ten plagues of Egypt it will become quite clear. We are commanded by Yahweh to keep the Feast of Passover/Pesach each year, to bind the truths of this story as a sign upon our hand and a memorial between our eyes as a reminder of our identity and to keep ourselves from any defilement, to guard our hearts and to warn and teach future generations.
The First Plague - Blood
(Exodus 7:14-24)
This hardening of Pharaoh’s heart set in motion a chain of events that would show the deliverance and power of Yahweh and bring about the promised redemption of the Israelite people. With this, Yahweh exposed the false gods of Egypt and displayed His Name (position/authority/character) and glory among the nations.
In the first series of plagues, Yahweh sent Moses early in the morning to wait by the bank of the Nile River for Pharaoh, in order to warn him what Yahweh planned to do.
Moses raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile River, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt (Exodus 7:20-21).
This first plague attacked Hapi, the father of the gods. He was god of the Nile, the one who was said to provide water to all Egypt for the preservation of life. He was responsible for watering the meadows and bringing the dew. More importantly, he brought fertile flooding by the rising of the Nile. As a fertility god, he was associated with Osiris.
The Nile was considered the link from this life to the next and was considered the blood of Osiris. The priests of Egypt held blood in abhorrence, yet they cruelly sported with the blood of the captive Israelites, whose children they caused to be cast into the Nile. The Egyptians worshiped the river but when its waters turned to blood they loathed and detested it. This plague brought confusion and shame regarding their great god Hapi who was defamed. Other deities connected with the Nile were Amon and Khnum who were the guardians of the Nile.
The Nile held the very life of Egypt and controlled their economy. What happens when a people put their hope in their economy? Many do not realize money has become a god in their lives until, one day, it is gone. What would happen if we were to go for a week without money or there was a natural disaster and our life support in the world was cut off? Living without food, water or shelter is traumatic. Can we imagine the loss of livelihood if the world’s economy fell like the Nile? Many are experiencing this today. What about living through a natural disaster like a tsunami or a hurricane? The loss would not only affect us personally but nationally and on a world wide scale as many countries depend on other nations for their support. Where have we put our hope and faith?
The magicians were able to duplicate this plague; therefore Pharaoh was unimpressed.
continues tomorrow...
"AND I APPEARED"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 6:2-9:35, Ezekiel 28:25-29:21, Romans 9:14-17, 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1, Revelation 16)
Yeshua promised that if we really, sincerely believed in His words (the same words that He gave Moses), our lives would be transformed. He would fill us with the Helper called the Spirit of Truth who convicts us of the sin of unbelief and fills us with righteousness and the ability to discern against the wiles of the ruler of this world. To believe in Yahweh produces much fruit and causes His love to be perfected within us. (John 13:31-15:17). One True God!
Appearing before Pharaoh
(Exodus 7:6-19)
Moses and Aaron started their ministry in Yahweh’s service at the ages of eighty and eighty-three respectively. They were commanded to appear before Pharaoh and perform a miracle. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and it changed into a snake. Pharaoh’s magicians were able to duplicate this sign so the king of Egypt’s heart remained unchanged; he would not let the Israelites go into the desert to offer sacrifices to Yahweh.
Following Yahweh’s pattern, plagues appeared in stages to the Egyptians, attacking their gods, their Egyptian calendar, their feast days, their surroundings and houses and their clothing and flesh (Leviticus 13-14). By doing this, Yahweh was showing how detestable the ways of the Egyptians were and revealed the corruption of their hearts.
Note: Yahweh uses this illustration of Egypt and the plagues throughout the history of the Israelite people as a warning to them and future generations (believers included) not to assimilate into the ways of the nations around them, their foreign gods and idols. We must be careful not to allow or be tempted into elevating anything other than what He instructs us in His word or we too will be marked (consumed) and fall away like what happened to the Egyptians. (Deuteronomy 7:15; 28:60; Isaiah 66:17; Amos 4:10; Matthew 24:6-7 and Revelation 16)
But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe[obey] (Jude/Judah 1:5).
Yahweh knew that His people would be tempted and warned them ahead of time with these living examples in His word to prepare them. In this study (and the one to follow) we share about the Egyptian gods in an effort to inform. As an example, many believers today are worshiping the god of Saturn (called Saturnalia worship) without realizing. This pagan worship is deeply rooted in the Christian faith. Worship such as Christmas (Santa Claus, Christmas trees, mistletoe, Yule logs, wreaths etc), Easter (the Easter bunny, decorated eggs, sunrise worship, hot cross buns etc), Lent, Mardi Gras, Halloween, sexual immorality, even abortions aka child sacrifices all come out of Saturnalia worship. There is so much now on the Internet that makes it easy to research the origins of what we thought were ‘Christian,’ but are not. As we study the ten plagues of Egypt it will become quite clear. We are commanded by Yahweh to keep the Feast of Passover/Pesach each year, to bind the truths of this story as a sign upon our hand and a memorial between our eyes as a reminder of our identity and to keep ourselves from any defilement, to guard our hearts and to warn and teach future generations.
It shall be as a sign to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that Yahweh’s law may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt (Exodus 13:9).
The First Plague - Blood
(Exodus 7:14-24)
This hardening of Pharaoh’s heart set in motion a chain of events that would show the deliverance and power of Yahweh and bring about the promised redemption of the Israelite people. With this, Yahweh exposed the false gods of Egypt and displayed His Name (position/authority/character) and glory among the nations.
In the first series of plagues, Yahweh sent Moses early in the morning to wait by the bank of the Nile River for Pharaoh, in order to warn him what Yahweh planned to do.
Moses raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile River, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt (Exodus 7:20-21).
This first plague attacked Hapi, the father of the gods. He was god of the Nile, the one who was said to provide water to all Egypt for the preservation of life. He was responsible for watering the meadows and bringing the dew. More importantly, he brought fertile flooding by the rising of the Nile. As a fertility god, he was associated with Osiris.
The Nile was considered the link from this life to the next and was considered the blood of Osiris. The priests of Egypt held blood in abhorrence, yet they cruelly sported with the blood of the captive Israelites, whose children they caused to be cast into the Nile. The Egyptians worshiped the river but when its waters turned to blood they loathed and detested it. This plague brought confusion and shame regarding their great god Hapi who was defamed. Other deities connected with the Nile were Amon and Khnum who were the guardians of the Nile.
The Nile held the very life of Egypt and controlled their economy. What happens when a people put their hope in their economy? Many do not realize money has become a god in their lives until, one day, it is gone. What would happen if we were to go for a week without money or there was a natural disaster and our life support in the world was cut off? Living without food, water or shelter is traumatic. Can we imagine the loss of livelihood if the world’s economy fell like the Nile? Many are experiencing this today. What about living through a natural disaster like a tsunami or a hurricane? The loss would not only affect us personally but nationally and on a world wide scale as many countries depend on other nations for their support. Where have we put our hope and faith?
The magicians were able to duplicate this plague; therefore Pharaoh was unimpressed.
continues tomorrow...