Verse for the Day, 25 July 2014.

Exodus 19:1-13  On the third new moon after the people of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.  (2)  They set out from Rephidim and came into the wilderness of Sinai, and they encamped in the wilderness. There Israel encamped before the mountain,  (3)  while Moses went up to God. The LORD called to him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the people of Israel:  (4)  You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.  (5)  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine;  (6)  and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel."  (7)  So Moses came and called the elders of the people and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him.  (8)  All the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.  (9)  And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever." When Moses told the words of the people to the LORD,  (10)  the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments  (11)  and be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.  (12)  And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, 'Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.  (13)  No hand shall touch him, but he shall be stoned or shot; whether beast or man, he shall not live.' When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they shall come up to the mountain."

Exodus 19 sets the scene for the giving of the Ten Commandments, the Law, instructions about the priesthood, sacrificial system and the tabernacle. This is a key moment in the history of Israel, a moment whereby they become more and more a true nation, than merely a people group. At the present moment they have no land, no legal system and no established worship system. They are on route to the land that shall become their own, and God is about to give them the Law and system of worship that will define, regulate and control their country and their lives from this moment forward. This chapter sets the scene for all this and God’s words to Moses emphasises a number of points, points that show how unique Israel is in comparison to the nations around them, and points that should have caused the Israelites to rejoice in their God and what He had done and given to them.

Firstly, Israel are reminded how it is that they find themselves freed from slavery and enjoying the great favour and blessing of God. It has come to them through God’s sovereign power and working, they have not achieved, accomplished or earned it, God and God alone has performed it. God’s power is especially made evident in the imagery given, “I bore you on eagles' wings”. The people of Israel were large in number and possession, yet they were plucked up by God and carried safely out.

Secondly, Israel are reminded about the purpose for which God did this. God has rescued the people of Israel and in doing so He has made them His own people. He rescued them so as to bring them to Himself. He has chosen Israel to be the people through whom He will accomplish His sovereign purposes, plans and the work of redemption. Therefore they have been rescued not so as to now live and do as they please, but in order that they might serve, live for and do the will of the God who saved them.

Thirdly, Israel are reminded about the holiness of God, and the holiness and obedience that God shall require of them as His people. The strict instructions given to the people, to consecrate themselves and to not touch or come near the mountain, help them to understand the holiness of God. Furthermore because God is holy, the law and all that He shall give and instruct them is also holy. The nations around them governed their land by means of their own man-made laws, a measure of which is God-given by virtue of the fact that we are created in God’s-image, but Israel is the only nation to have ever been given their entire law by God Himself, written by the finger of God! If the Israelites took time to consider this, the holiness of God, the uniqueness of the law that was given to them, they would have then understood that God required the same of them, they must be holy as He is holy, they need to show that they are the people of God, by the way in which they serve, worship and obey God.

These three points, and there are many more that could be mentioned, serve to show just how important this event was in the life of these people and this nation. In fact it is an event that still defines the history of Israel to this very day, an event that they continue to look back upon as they remind themselves of their uniqueness. But the main truth that they and indeed we, need to learn from this, is the fact that God is our Saviour and our only hope of salvation. God has given evidence of His power to save by rescuing them from Egypt, but now through the giving of the Law and the tabernacle worship system, God was showing His people and us that there is a greater problem. The Law reveals our sin and our in ability to meet the demands of God’s holiness. The tabernacle reveals that our sin has caused there to be a distance between us and God, and it is only through sacrifice, through the shedding of blood and by the work of a mediator that we can be brought near to God. However, both the Law and the tabernacle worship system are insufficient to bring them lasting peace and reconciliation with God, for they keep breaking God’s laws, and therefore keep having to bring more sacrifices and plead for forgiveness. Something, someone greater than the Law, the tabernacle and the sacrificial system is needed. Thus we see how the ultimate and chief purpose of this event is to point all of us to our need of Christ, who is greater than the Law and the tabernacle, who is a better priest and mediator than any other, and who is therefore the only one who can truly save us and bring us to God.

Glorious and gracious God we thank You that we are able to see Your sovereign plan and purpose throughout Scripture. We thank You for the many ways in which You reveal to us our great weaknesses, but then show us the sufficiency of Christ to save us from our sin. Thank You that You show us our sin, as if You never revealed our sin to us, we would never seek after Your salvation. We praise You that You never reveal our sin and then leave us to perish in it, but in Your grace You then point us to Jesus so that we might see our need of Him and find our salvation in Him. Thank You that through Christ You have brought us back to Yourself and we have the joy of knowing that we are Your people, who will live with You one day in Your kingdom of glory. We praise Your great name. Amen

Verse for the Day, 24 July 2014.

Exodus 18:13-23  The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening.  (14)  When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?"  (15)  And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God;  (16)  when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws."  (17)  Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good.  (18)  You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.  (19)  Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God,  (20)  and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do.  (21)  Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.  (22)  And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you.  (23)  If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."

There are times in life when pride can work in a very subtle manner, to the point that it doesn’t even give to us the appearance of pride. Whilst Moses was a remarkable man, a man who was humble and godly, in this passage he wrongly assumes that it is up to him and him alone to be the judge over all Israel. While it is not an overt, ugly pride, it is pride nonetheless, he failed to look beyond himself, to see if there were other competent men, and he presumed that God would not, or could not do this work through others. God may have spoken through Moses and revealed first to Moses His laws and statutes, but this did not mean that Moses had the monopoly. His task was to teach and instruct the people in the laws and statutes of God, so that they themselves could understand them, apply them and abide by them.

God in His grace towards Moses, sends Jethro, a man with wisdom and age. He witnesses what Moses is doing and then earnestly advises Moses to make some changes. He advises that wise, godly men be found to serve as judges over the people and when a difficult case is brought forward, they are to then bring that case to Moses. Moses’ primary function is to, under God, lead the people and instruct them in God’s laws and statutes. If he gives himself to this task and does it well, he will not only teach the people, he will also equip the other judges so that they might do what is right and pleasing in God’s sight. Through this means the nation would be at greater peace and Moses’ physical health would be preserved. The people would have their cases heard and decided quicker, men would be equipped to become better leaders and teachers of the ways of God, and Moses could give himself to the work that God had called him to. As a result the whole nation would prosper.

We are naïve to think that we are the only ones God can use, and we are equally wrong to think that God cannot use us. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have received God’s Spirit, who equips us for the good works prepared beforehand for us to do. He equips us to serve God, to serve His Church, to know, understand and apply His Word more and more in our lives and to be His witnesses. We are called to be humble, ready and willing. If we are already at work in God’s service, we should be constantly looking as to how we can encourage other Christians to serve the Lord, seeking to teach and equip them to do the work, rather than thinking we have to do it all ourselves. If we are not at work in God’s service, because we think we cannot be used, we need to remind ourselves that God uses the least to shame the greatest, the weakest to shame the strongest. God takes people who are broken, imperfect and blemished, and transforms them through Christ and through His Spirit, all so that we might spend our lives in His service. We are called to be willing and to be active in His kingdom work, trusting that as we take up the work, He will equip us.

Lord Jesus Christ, head of the Church, we are humbled today by the reality that You use we who are sinful, broken and foolish in the advancement, growth and maturity of Your kingdom. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who equips us all so that we can be used by You to great effect. May we not doubt Your ability to transform, equip and enable us to serve You. We pray that it will be to us a joy and delight to serve You, and to help others to be able to better serve You. We also pray that You would guard our hearts against pride and thinking that it all depends upon us. Help us to be Your humble, joyful, willing servants. Amen.

Verse for the Day, 23 July 2014.

Exodus 17:1-7  All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.  (2)  Therefore the people quarrelled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?"  (3)  But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"  (4)  So Moses cried to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me."  (5)  And the LORD said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.  (6)  Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.  (7)  And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarrelling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"

The above verses function as a strong warning to us in two respects, firstly, to be mindful of who God is and His faithfulness, secondly, not to test God by doubting who He is and what He has promised to do.

The people of Israel had been without water for some time and were traveling through a harsh environment. Their thirst was great and therefore they fear that if water was not found soon, they would perish. In their thirst, they come to Moses and quarrel with him, in fact such is the nature of their confrontation that Moses fears for his life. Furthermore as they confront Moses, they question God, His character and His promises, they raise the accusation that God is not among them, or with them, that the good purposes God promised them, were in fact false, for He intends to them harm, to bring them out to the desert so as to kill them. We need to keep in mind that they are making these accusations whilst ahead of them stands the pillar of cloud, and with stomach filled by the manna they had received that very morning. Therefore the behaviour and accusations of the people should shock us, how can they question, accuse and doubt God, when it is so obvious that He is among them!

The Israelites were paying not attention or regard to the many ways in which God was displaying favour towards them and showing that He was with them. They had come to presume upon these things, it is almost as though they expected them, and were not on a daily basis thankful for the manna, quail and pillar of cloud and fire. They test God by accusing God and coming against God’s servant, Moses. God’s patience, the fact that He is long-suffering, is evident. We know how we would respond towards such ungrateful and rebellious people! Yet God continues to extend grace and provides water for the people.

We need to learn from Israel’s poor behaviour and conduct. We need to cultivate thankfulness and open our eyes to see the multitude of ways in which God displays His faithfulness and His presence. We also need to learn that when faced with great trials we will be tempted to doubt God, maybe even to accuse God. We need to be cautious, we need to guard our hearts and minds, for Scripture teaches us in an abundance of places, that God is both faithful and with His people in times of trial. To accuse God, is to call into question God’s character, His holiness, His truthfulness, His faithfulness and His goodness. It is to call God a liar and may even lead us to accuse God of evil. We must guard our hearts and minds against this, by cultivating thankfulness, being observant of the ways in which God is displaying His faithfulness and presence, and by meditating on the character of God and Word of God.

Long-suffering, holy, Father, how we plead for Your forgiveness for the times in which we have doubted You, and most of all for the times when we have been tempted to accuse You of failing to be true, faithful, good and holy. Help us to understand more of who You are and open our eyes so that we might see the many ways in which You display Your faithfulness and Your presence on a daily basis. We desire to be people who have their eyes, hearts, minds and lives fixed upon You, so that when trial and temptation come, we run to You, to take refuge in who You are, trusting that You will continue to be with us and help us through the time of trial. Amen.