Daily Bible Portion (Thursday)
Daily Bible Portion – 5 of 7
"THE NAMES"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 1:1-6:1, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Hebrews 11:23-26)
The Friend of God
Moses agrees to stay with Reuel (whose name means friend of God). In gratitude for the care shown his sheep and toward his daughters, Reuel gave Zipporah in marriage to Moses. She and Moses had a son, Gershom, whose name means, “I have become a stranger in a foreign land” (Exodus 2:22).
The Cry for a Redeemer - Exodus 2:23-24
Scripture keeps us informed of the events transpiring in Egypt while Moses was in Midian. Time had passed and the pharaoh king who ordered the death of Moses had died. The Israelites groaned under the weight of their slavery in Egypt and cried out to Yahweh for help. Scripture says that Yahweh heard them and remembered His Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The appointed time for the deliverance of the twelve tribes of Israel had come.
The Burning Bush - Exodus 3
As Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock in Midian, he saw a strange sight, a bush that was burning in the middle of the wilderness. As he approached it, he noticed that the flames did not consume the bush as it burnt. As he drew closer a voice called to him from within the flames, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” The Voice said: “Do not come any closer, take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:4-5; Acts 7:30-34). In Hebrew thought, as referenced in Exodus 3:11-16, this took place at Mount Sinai where the future Israelites would become betrothed to Yahweh. “Taking off your sandals” intimates the giving and receiving of an inheritance: the Marriage Covenant. Moses was about to enter a marriage covenant and change of status with Yahweh as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had done.
The Sacred Name Revealed
Compromise
Moses could not see himself as a leader and hid his face from Yahweh. He became defensive and gave five reasons why he was not a suitable ambassador to direct Yahweh’s people. Our lack of belief in Yahweh’s Covenant and His faithfulness leads to excuses that hinder His work in our lives. This affects us personally and it can also indirectly affect the lives of thousands of others. Serving Yahweh is never only about us but is about blessing Yahweh’s people.
Moses’ queries, fears and excuses as to why Yahweh should not appoint him to lead Israel out of Egypt are points of reference to study today. Fear is the largest epidemic in the world today. When Yahweh asks us to serve Him (and others), He has already prepared the way and knows what challenges we might meet. He is asking for our obedience in spite of it. Not answering God’s call on our lives will diminish the blessings He intends to bestow on us. Settling for second best in our lives, if we bow down to fear and compromise in our hearts (preference over principle), dishonors Yahweh. (John 19:30)
The five excuses that kept Moses from answering Yahweh’s call were:
Pride in the feeling of unworthiness: Moses said to Yahweh, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Yahweh said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I that have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship Yahweh on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:11)
Fear of man: Moses said to Yahweh, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM (or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE).” This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'”(Exodus 3:13)
Far of rejection: Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘Yahweh did not appear to you?’” With this, Yahweh had him throw his staff on the ground and a snake appeared. He then had Moses pick the snake up and it turned back to a staff again. Then Yahweh had Moses put his hand inside his cloak and pull it out. It was covered with a skin affliction. Repeating this healed Moses’ hand like the other again. (Exodus 4:1)
Influence of previous experiences: Moses said to Yahweh, “O Yahweh, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." With this, Yahweh shared with Moses, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." (Exodus 4:10)
Need for a mandate from Yahweh: Moses said, "O Yahweh, please send someone else to do it." This was the last one; the number five represents grace and Moses had “used up” all God’s grace! Yahweh’s anger burned against Moses, then He sent his brother Aaron to help him, telling him, ‘I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.” (Exodus 4:13)
continues tomorrow...
"THE NAMES"
(Weekly Reading>>Exodus 1:1-6:1, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Hebrews 11:23-26)
The Friend of God
Moses agrees to stay with Reuel (whose name means friend of God). In gratitude for the care shown his sheep and toward his daughters, Reuel gave Zipporah in marriage to Moses. She and Moses had a son, Gershom, whose name means, “I have become a stranger in a foreign land” (Exodus 2:22).
The Cry for a Redeemer - Exodus 2:23-24
Scripture keeps us informed of the events transpiring in Egypt while Moses was in Midian. Time had passed and the pharaoh king who ordered the death of Moses had died. The Israelites groaned under the weight of their slavery in Egypt and cried out to Yahweh for help. Scripture says that Yahweh heard them and remembered His Covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The appointed time for the deliverance of the twelve tribes of Israel had come.
The Burning Bush - Exodus 3
As Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock in Midian, he saw a strange sight, a bush that was burning in the middle of the wilderness. As he approached it, he noticed that the flames did not consume the bush as it burnt. As he drew closer a voice called to him from within the flames, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” The Voice said: “Do not come any closer, take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:4-5; Acts 7:30-34). In Hebrew thought, as referenced in Exodus 3:11-16, this took place at Mount Sinai where the future Israelites would become betrothed to Yahweh. “Taking off your sandals” intimates the giving and receiving of an inheritance: the Marriage Covenant. Moses was about to enter a marriage covenant and change of status with Yahweh as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had done.
The Sacred Name Revealed
Then Moses said to God, ‘Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.' Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: 'The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations' (Exodus 3:13-15).
Compromise
I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey-- the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 3:6-10).
Moses could not see himself as a leader and hid his face from Yahweh. He became defensive and gave five reasons why he was not a suitable ambassador to direct Yahweh’s people. Our lack of belief in Yahweh’s Covenant and His faithfulness leads to excuses that hinder His work in our lives. This affects us personally and it can also indirectly affect the lives of thousands of others. Serving Yahweh is never only about us but is about blessing Yahweh’s people.
Moses’ queries, fears and excuses as to why Yahweh should not appoint him to lead Israel out of Egypt are points of reference to study today. Fear is the largest epidemic in the world today. When Yahweh asks us to serve Him (and others), He has already prepared the way and knows what challenges we might meet. He is asking for our obedience in spite of it. Not answering God’s call on our lives will diminish the blessings He intends to bestow on us. Settling for second best in our lives, if we bow down to fear and compromise in our hearts (preference over principle), dishonors Yahweh. (John 19:30)
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth (Revelation 3:16).
The five excuses that kept Moses from answering Yahweh’s call were:
Pride in the feeling of unworthiness: Moses said to Yahweh, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Yahweh said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I that have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship Yahweh on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:11)
Fear of man: Moses said to Yahweh, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM (or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE).” This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'”(Exodus 3:13)
Far of rejection: Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘Yahweh did not appear to you?’” With this, Yahweh had him throw his staff on the ground and a snake appeared. He then had Moses pick the snake up and it turned back to a staff again. Then Yahweh had Moses put his hand inside his cloak and pull it out. It was covered with a skin affliction. Repeating this healed Moses’ hand like the other again. (Exodus 4:1)
Influence of previous experiences: Moses said to Yahweh, “O Yahweh, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." With this, Yahweh shared with Moses, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." (Exodus 4:10)
Need for a mandate from Yahweh: Moses said, "O Yahweh, please send someone else to do it." This was the last one; the number five represents grace and Moses had “used up” all God’s grace! Yahweh’s anger burned against Moses, then He sent his brother Aaron to help him, telling him, ‘I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.” (Exodus 4:13)
continues tomorrow...