The reality of God’s goodness can soon be overwhelmed by fictitious thoughts of the world. Next on the itinerary for Israel was Elim, the sort of place one wished was the destination, not a temporary wayside spot. “Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees” (Ex 15:27). […]
Read More… from November 15, 2021 — God’s Present Blessing, Egypt’s Past Allure
Sometimes we need a heavenly nudge. It may come in many ways, including forced rests. Before the Israelites were allowed to move on from Marah, the Lord gave them a little talk. Already they seemed to be forgetting the lessons of Egypt, so it was time for a refresher—the first of many. We read: “There […]
Bitterness can spring up in our hearts when we think God has led us to the wrong place. In our last lesson, we imagined what it would be to have millions of people without water in the desert. But look up ahead. Is it an oasis? As the people drew closer, they realized the Lord […]
Read More… from November 11, 2021 — Next Stop: Marah Or Sweetwater?
“Let the water and the blood…Be of sin the double cure: Cleanse me from it’s guilt and pow’r.” Notice the two parts to Israel’s deliverance. There was salvation by blood and by water. The blood of the lamb delivered them from their sinfulness, saving them in Egypt. But the water delivered them from their enemy […]
Read More… from November 10, 2021 — Saved By Blood And Water
Imagine singing in a choir with over a million voices. Actually, I plan on doing that some day! Exodus 14 concludes this way: “Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses” (v 31). That’s encouraging! But […]
Read More… from November 9, 2021 — O For A Million Tongues To Sing
Don’t trust in your wisdom, might, or riches, says Jeremiah (9:23-24); trust only in the Lord! What a scene we have in Exodus 14! On one side, Pharaoh with his rapid-deployment charioteers, men of war from their youth, armed to the teeth. On the other, the children of Israel on foot, laden with the treasures […]
“Stand still!” Seriously? Every nerve in our bodies screams, “Do something!” But God says… I don’t know about you, but my wit works best when it’s in crisis. It seemed that way with the Israelites, too. Here they were, trapped. Mountains on either side and the sea blocking off any escape. Even if there was […]
Read More… from November 5, 2021 — So We Meet Again, Pharaoh
Hard ol’ Pharaoh will get harder yet—so hard that even the Red Sea won’t soften him up. God never gets surprised. Did you hear that? God never gets surprised. The children of Israel have been traveling for several days, setting up their first camp at Succoth. They then “camped in Etham at the edge of […]