Exodus 4:1-17
Forty years before, Moses had attempted to produce changes in Israel’s state by killing an Egyptian overseer. His efforts were viewed as the efforts of a gang leader or crime boss trying to take over a neighborhood, rather than a legitimate effort to help, and were rejected.
“And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.” (Exodus 4:1)
Moses had lost the arrogance that he had as a prince of Egypt. He was aware people might see his approach as just another attempt to take over. They were likely to want some assurance that his intentions were legitimate and had some possibility of actually improving things. Too many political leaders set out to accomplish a goal with no clue as to what will be required, and people begin to distrust them.
“And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.” (Exodus 4:2-5)
God performed a miracle, changing Moses walking stick into a snake when he threw it on the ground. When he picked it up by the tail it changed back into a stick. Since only God could do this, it would indicate that God had directed Moses. Since the walking stick had been used by Moses for some time there was no question of trickery.
“And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.” (Exodus 4:6-8)
Leprosy is not common in the United States, but it was common in that area of the world until just a few years ago. My understanding is that it destroys the nerve endings so the body does not respond naturally to stimuli. In the process, the blood flow and pigmentation are reduced making the skin appear unnaturally white. It was a progressive disease, spreading from one part of the body to another, and there was no cure for the disease, although spontaneous remissions did occasionally occur. Normally it was first identified as just a small white spot and Leviticus 13 gave specific instructions for identifying it.
When Moses placed his hand in his robe and pulled it out white, it clearly indicated an advanced case of a familiar disease. When he put his hand back into his shirt and pulled it out again it was normal. Clearly this was a miraculous sign that would convince many of th people, but some might well consider it some kind of trick.
“And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.” (Exodus 4:9)
For those who still didn’t believe, Moses was to take some water from the river and pour it out on the ground. It would become blood on the ground that they could touch and smell. Since they usually butchered their own meat, they would be able to tell the difference between real blood and colored water by the way it coagulated, by the smell, and by the viscosity. It would be very hard to fool these people with a fake blood in such a situation.
“And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)
Like many others, Moses was concerned that he would not be persuasive enough because he was not an eloquent speaker or quick witted. Many people think that because a person can’t give a quick response off the cuff he doesn’t know what he is talking about. In fact, the quick response is frequently based on a superficial understanding of what is involved. Winning a debate does not make one right.
“And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” (Exodus 4:11-12)
God made the mouth, God made the brain that directs the mouth, and he can direct the thoughts of that mind. He chooses whether we could speak of hear or see, and he decides what needs to be said. The results are not about human logic or psychology or eloquence, but about God’s message. Far too much emphasis is put on the human part rather than on God’s.
“And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
“And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.” (Exodus 4:13-17)
Not convinced that he was qualified, and not trusting God, Moses still hesitated, asking God to send some one else instead. His lack of faith angered God, but rather than destroying him for it, God gave him what he asked, sending his brother Aaron to do the talking. Aaron would always have to depend on Moses to tell him what God wanted, never having the same relationship himself, but just being Moses’ mouthpiece.
My own father was initially told he shouldn’t become a missionary because he was too old, had too many kids, and didn’t have a good enough education. He did have difficulty raising support, but was responsible for starting more churches among the Navajos than most of the missionaries who’ve tried. Many times we choose men on the basis of education or speaking ability or sophistication and discourage the men God has chosen.
Later Aaron would, acting independently of Moses, just going along with what the people wanted, in direct contradiction to God’s command. Today we see the same thing in many churches, with the emphasis on what the people or the pastor want rather than what God has said. It is why the instructions as to who should be chosen as pastors and leaders in first Timothy 3 and Titus 1are so critical today.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Called By God
Exodus 3:1-22
When he was forty years old, Moses was concerned about how his fellow Hebrews were being treated, and believing it was what God wanted, tried to make an impact. Acts 7:22-25 describes the event. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.” As a result of that effort, Moses was forced to flee for his life and spent the next forty years herding sheep in the desert.
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” (Exodus 3:1-3)
While herding sheep near mount Sinai, or Horeb, on the Sinai Peninsula, an angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush. After a while, his interest was piqued by realizing that the bush was not burning up, and he walked over to see why.
“And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses.
And he said, Here am I.
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:4-6)
God had used the sight of the bush to attract Moses’ attention. When he drew close God spoke to him and Moses responded. God then identified himself as the God, and demanded that he remove his shoes as the place was holy ground. Aware of his own sinfulness, Moses was afraid to meet God face to face. It was and is a legitimate fear according to Exodus 33:20. “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” There is reason to question many of the supposed encounters with God today. John 1:18 states, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” A review of the encounters with God in scripture only heightens that doubt about many modern encounters.
“And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.” (Exodus 3:7-8)
Though the Israelites undoubtedly thought God had forgotten them, he was fully aware of the injustices they had suffered in the four hundred years since the Middle Kingdom had arisen. In Genesis 15, God had said they would be servants to Egypt for four hundred years, and the time was now drawing to a close. He had also promised to give them the land Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had occupied, and the time has come for him to fulfill his promise.
“Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:9-10)
Forty years before, Moses had seen the oppression of his people, and had tried to make a difference, but had been soundly rebuffed. Contrary to what some have taught, seeing the need did not constitute a call. Neither Israel or Moses were ready to make the necessary changes. The oppression had increased to the point Israel would be willing to make drastic changes, and Moses had lost his pride as a prince and learned patience and to work with the limitations of others from herding sheep. He had also become far more aware of his day to day dependence on God. Hard as life was under Egyptian persecution, the Israelites were still dependent on the Egyptians, and would find it hard to leave.
“And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus3:11)
Clearly Moses’ attitude had changed a lot. Where he had killed the Egyptian and attempted to lead Israel, assuming they would follow him just because he said so, now he realized there was no obvious reason for anyone to follow him. He would not be seen as having any authority.
“And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)
The proof that God had chosen him would be that they would worship God there on Mount Sinai when they left Egypt. Three months after leaving Egypt, about the time Moses began to realize the responsibility of his position, they would worship at Mount Sinai, reminding Moses that it was God who had placed him there. Moses was extremely practical, recognizing Pharaoh would want to know whose authority he was acting under.
“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:13-15)
The Egyptians had their own religion and no longer served God as they had in Abraham’s day. Moses was concerned they would not recognize God’s authority. God was far more concerned that Israel recognize who he was. He would reveal himself to the Egyptians when the time came, but Moses could not represent Israel without enlisting their support. That was Moses’ first assignment.
“Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:16-17)
Having passed down the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for four generations, or four hundred years, the Israelites were familiar with what Moses would be telling them. It would not require much for them to accept his claims.
“And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.” (Exodus 3:18)
Once he had the support of the people, Moses could go to Pharaoh and request to be allowed to go into the wilderness for a mere three days to worship God. It was not and unreasonable request, and to deny it would reveal the unreasonableness of the king, strengthening the resolve of Israel.
“And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.” (Exodus 3:19-20)
God knew that Pharaoh would be more concerned with showing his power than with the reasonableness of the request, and that it would increase the resentment of the Jews toward him. How many times do parents and those in authority refuse permission simply to show their power, creating resentment by those under such authority. God would use the selfish displays of power to turn the Egyptian people themselves against Pharaoh in support of the Jews.
“And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.” (Exodus 3:21-22)
For four hundred years the Jews had worked without pay, as slaves for the Egyptian government. As the Egyptians began to support the Jews against their government, they would willingly give their jewelry and belongings. God would see to it that they had something to show for all the years of labor.
An obvious conclusion is that contrary to what some have taught, recognizing a need does not constitute a call.
When he was forty years old, Moses was concerned about how his fellow Hebrews were being treated, and believing it was what God wanted, tried to make an impact. Acts 7:22-25 describes the event. “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.” As a result of that effort, Moses was forced to flee for his life and spent the next forty years herding sheep in the desert.
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.” (Exodus 3:1-3)
While herding sheep near mount Sinai, or Horeb, on the Sinai Peninsula, an angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush. After a while, his interest was piqued by realizing that the bush was not burning up, and he walked over to see why.
“And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses.
And he said, Here am I.
And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Exodus 3:4-6)
God had used the sight of the bush to attract Moses’ attention. When he drew close God spoke to him and Moses responded. God then identified himself as the God, and demanded that he remove his shoes as the place was holy ground. Aware of his own sinfulness, Moses was afraid to meet God face to face. It was and is a legitimate fear according to Exodus 33:20. “And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” There is reason to question many of the supposed encounters with God today. John 1:18 states, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” A review of the encounters with God in scripture only heightens that doubt about many modern encounters.
“And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.” (Exodus 3:7-8)
Though the Israelites undoubtedly thought God had forgotten them, he was fully aware of the injustices they had suffered in the four hundred years since the Middle Kingdom had arisen. In Genesis 15, God had said they would be servants to Egypt for four hundred years, and the time was now drawing to a close. He had also promised to give them the land Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had occupied, and the time has come for him to fulfill his promise.
“Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:9-10)
Forty years before, Moses had seen the oppression of his people, and had tried to make a difference, but had been soundly rebuffed. Contrary to what some have taught, seeing the need did not constitute a call. Neither Israel or Moses were ready to make the necessary changes. The oppression had increased to the point Israel would be willing to make drastic changes, and Moses had lost his pride as a prince and learned patience and to work with the limitations of others from herding sheep. He had also become far more aware of his day to day dependence on God. Hard as life was under Egyptian persecution, the Israelites were still dependent on the Egyptians, and would find it hard to leave.
“And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus3:11)
Clearly Moses’ attitude had changed a lot. Where he had killed the Egyptian and attempted to lead Israel, assuming they would follow him just because he said so, now he realized there was no obvious reason for anyone to follow him. He would not be seen as having any authority.
“And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)
The proof that God had chosen him would be that they would worship God there on Mount Sinai when they left Egypt. Three months after leaving Egypt, about the time Moses began to realize the responsibility of his position, they would worship at Mount Sinai, reminding Moses that it was God who had placed him there. Moses was extremely practical, recognizing Pharaoh would want to know whose authority he was acting under.
“And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:13-15)
The Egyptians had their own religion and no longer served God as they had in Abraham’s day. Moses was concerned they would not recognize God’s authority. God was far more concerned that Israel recognize who he was. He would reveal himself to the Egyptians when the time came, but Moses could not represent Israel without enlisting their support. That was Moses’ first assignment.
“Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:16-17)
Having passed down the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for four generations, or four hundred years, the Israelites were familiar with what Moses would be telling them. It would not require much for them to accept his claims.
“And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.” (Exodus 3:18)
Once he had the support of the people, Moses could go to Pharaoh and request to be allowed to go into the wilderness for a mere three days to worship God. It was not and unreasonable request, and to deny it would reveal the unreasonableness of the king, strengthening the resolve of Israel.
“And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.” (Exodus 3:19-20)
God knew that Pharaoh would be more concerned with showing his power than with the reasonableness of the request, and that it would increase the resentment of the Jews toward him. How many times do parents and those in authority refuse permission simply to show their power, creating resentment by those under such authority. God would use the selfish displays of power to turn the Egyptian people themselves against Pharaoh in support of the Jews.
“And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.” (Exodus 3:21-22)
For four hundred years the Jews had worked without pay, as slaves for the Egyptian government. As the Egyptians began to support the Jews against their government, they would willingly give their jewelry and belongings. God would see to it that they had something to show for all the years of labor.
An obvious conclusion is that contrary to what some have taught, recognizing a need does not constitute a call.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Sheep Herder University
Exodus 2:16-25
“Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.” (Exodus 2;16-17)
Fleeing from Pharaoh’s wrath, Moses came to a well in Midian. He stopped to rest and get a drink while thinking about what to do next. While he was there, the priest of Midian’s daughters came and began filling the water troughs to water their father’s sheep. Other shepherds waited until they had carried enough water then drove the girls away, and watered their own sheep instead, with the intention of making the girls carry all the water. Having a very strong sense of justice, Moses intervened, driving away the other sheep and helping them water theirs.
“And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?
And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. ” (Exodus 2:18-20)
The other shepherds had apparently been taking the girls water for some time as their father was surprised how quickly they finished that day. After hearing what Moses had done, Reuel insisted they should at least feed him as a tangible way of showing their appreciation. When Moses came, he was offered a job managing their flocks.
“And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.” (Exodus 2:21-22)
Moses took the job, and stayed about forty years, eventually marrying one of Reuel’s daughters and having a son they called Gershom, or “a refugee” because Moses was a refugee from Egypt. During the time Moses was in Midian, the Egyptians became increasingly cruel in their treatment of the Hebrews.
“And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.” (Exodus 2:23-25)
When the Old Pharaoh died, his son became the new one. Like many children who‘ve always had everything they want, the new Pharaoh had no concept of limits to his spending. He constantly pressed for more public works to show his power and prestige and leave a legacy others would remember. It had to be paid for by increasing the demands on the people, and especially on those least able to protect themselves. As the demands became more onerous the Hebrew people began to pray for relief. It is amazing how long people will put up with abuse before seeking relief.
When they began to seriously seek relief, God began to act on their behalf. Like Jacob, who stayed in Padanaram even though Laban constantly took advantage, people often are not willing to follow God’s will until things get unbearable. Until we are willing to walk away, every attempt to move us will only result in a desire to go back.
To work with animals successfully, one must develop an understanding of the animals themselves. The more complete one’s understanding of their needs and instincts the more effectively one can avoid problems. Moses spent forty years in “Sheepherder University,” as one pastor called it, learning to observe and care for sheep. It was ideal preparation for leading the nation of Israel, teaching him to observe and consider the needs and nature of the people. Jesus described himself as the great shepherd, and his people as his sheep. In the great message about the responsibilities pastors and leaders in Ezekiel 34, they are compared to shepherds as well. In fact the very term pastor means literally a sheep herder.
The area he was herding sheep in was part of the area he would lead Israel through later, giving him a familiarity with the climate and terrain that would stand him in good stead. Midian was located along the Gulf of Aqaba in the Northwest corner of the Arabian Paeninsula.
“Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.” (Exodus 2;16-17)
Fleeing from Pharaoh’s wrath, Moses came to a well in Midian. He stopped to rest and get a drink while thinking about what to do next. While he was there, the priest of Midian’s daughters came and began filling the water troughs to water their father’s sheep. Other shepherds waited until they had carried enough water then drove the girls away, and watered their own sheep instead, with the intention of making the girls carry all the water. Having a very strong sense of justice, Moses intervened, driving away the other sheep and helping them water theirs.
“And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?
And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread. ” (Exodus 2:18-20)
The other shepherds had apparently been taking the girls water for some time as their father was surprised how quickly they finished that day. After hearing what Moses had done, Reuel insisted they should at least feed him as a tangible way of showing their appreciation. When Moses came, he was offered a job managing their flocks.
“And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.” (Exodus 2:21-22)
Moses took the job, and stayed about forty years, eventually marrying one of Reuel’s daughters and having a son they called Gershom, or “a refugee” because Moses was a refugee from Egypt. During the time Moses was in Midian, the Egyptians became increasingly cruel in their treatment of the Hebrews.
“And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.” (Exodus 2:23-25)
When the Old Pharaoh died, his son became the new one. Like many children who‘ve always had everything they want, the new Pharaoh had no concept of limits to his spending. He constantly pressed for more public works to show his power and prestige and leave a legacy others would remember. It had to be paid for by increasing the demands on the people, and especially on those least able to protect themselves. As the demands became more onerous the Hebrew people began to pray for relief. It is amazing how long people will put up with abuse before seeking relief.
When they began to seriously seek relief, God began to act on their behalf. Like Jacob, who stayed in Padanaram even though Laban constantly took advantage, people often are not willing to follow God’s will until things get unbearable. Until we are willing to walk away, every attempt to move us will only result in a desire to go back.
To work with animals successfully, one must develop an understanding of the animals themselves. The more complete one’s understanding of their needs and instincts the more effectively one can avoid problems. Moses spent forty years in “Sheepherder University,” as one pastor called it, learning to observe and care for sheep. It was ideal preparation for leading the nation of Israel, teaching him to observe and consider the needs and nature of the people. Jesus described himself as the great shepherd, and his people as his sheep. In the great message about the responsibilities pastors and leaders in Ezekiel 34, they are compared to shepherds as well. In fact the very term pastor means literally a sheep herder.
The area he was herding sheep in was part of the area he would lead Israel through later, giving him a familiarity with the climate and terrain that would stand him in good stead. Midian was located along the Gulf of Aqaba in the Northwest corner of the Arabian Paeninsula.
Friday, January 6, 2012
The Egyptian Prince
Exodus 2:1-15
For three hundred fifty years after Jacob moved his family to Egypt, the Egyptian economy had been slowly deteriorating and to divert attention from government oppression, Pharaoh had begun to blame the Hebrews for economic hard times and accuse them of a lack of patriotism. The resulting racial tensions led to the enslavement of the Hebrews, and efforts to restrict population growth.
“And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.” (Exodus 2:1-4)
Around 1730 BC., a man of Levi’s family married one of his cousins, and they had some children. Because of Pharaoh’s orders to kill any boy babies, they hid the boy for about three months. Finally, the baby had gained enough strength they were afraid his cries would be overheard and reported, so they made a basket of the same rushes the Egyptians used for their boats placed him in it in an area where he was unlikely to be heard or seen. His older sister was assigned the job of watching out for him.
“And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.” (Exodus 2:5-6)
Pharaoh’s own daughter found the baby and recognized him for what he was. Like any normal adult she had an instinctive desire to hold and care for the baby, and as Pharaoh’s daughter, she was less afraid to disobey than others would have been. She didn’t immediately kill the baby.
“Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?” (Exodus 2:7)
Seeing how the princess held and cared for her little brother, it was obvious she wouldn’t have the baby killed. Miriam approached her with an offer to find a Hebrew woman who would be able to nurse the child. There were no baby formulas like there are today.
“And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.” (Exodus 2:8-9)
When her offer was accepted, Miriam called her mother and a deal was settled whereby the mother would be paid to raise her own son, at Pharaoh’s expense, and under his protection.
“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10)
As soon as he was old enough to not require nursing, the baby was turned over to the princess, who adopted him as her son. She gave him the name “Moses“, or “rescued” and the fact of rescuing him created a special bond. Though he was of the slave people, he was raised as an Egyptian prince receiving the education and benefits of being a prince. Acts 7:22 tells us, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”
“And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.” (Exodus 2:11-12)
Though he had been raised as an Egyptian, Moses never forgot his parents or his Hebrew heritage. The treatment of his people by the Egyptians always rankled. When he was forty years old, he witnessed a Hebrew man being abused by one of the Egyptians. Incensed, he killed the Egyptian after making sure no one was looking, and buried the body in the sand.
“And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?” (Exodus 2:13)
Confident no one knew what he’d done, Moses returned to visit the Hebrews the next day. Though they were slaves, the Hebrews were still human and had conflicts among themselves. Assuming they would recognize his intent to help them as being from God. Moses intervened in an effort to settle their dispute.
“And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.” (Exodus 2:14-15)
Recognizing his guilt, the guilty party questioned whether Moses would kill him like he had killed the Egyptian, and challenged his authority to do anything. Moses had assumed no one knew but as Luke 8:17 tells us, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Before long, Pharaoh knew what had happened, and angry that Moses had betrayed his Egyptian upbringing, sought to kill him. Moses fled to the land of the Middianites to escape Pharaoh’s reach. Finding a well, he stopped to rest and consider his options.
For three hundred fifty years after Jacob moved his family to Egypt, the Egyptian economy had been slowly deteriorating and to divert attention from government oppression, Pharaoh had begun to blame the Hebrews for economic hard times and accuse them of a lack of patriotism. The resulting racial tensions led to the enslavement of the Hebrews, and efforts to restrict population growth.
“And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi. And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months. And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink. And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.” (Exodus 2:1-4)
Around 1730 BC., a man of Levi’s family married one of his cousins, and they had some children. Because of Pharaoh’s orders to kill any boy babies, they hid the boy for about three months. Finally, the baby had gained enough strength they were afraid his cries would be overheard and reported, so they made a basket of the same rushes the Egyptians used for their boats placed him in it in an area where he was unlikely to be heard or seen. His older sister was assigned the job of watching out for him.
“And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.” (Exodus 2:5-6)
Pharaoh’s own daughter found the baby and recognized him for what he was. Like any normal adult she had an instinctive desire to hold and care for the baby, and as Pharaoh’s daughter, she was less afraid to disobey than others would have been. She didn’t immediately kill the baby.
“Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?” (Exodus 2:7)
Seeing how the princess held and cared for her little brother, it was obvious she wouldn’t have the baby killed. Miriam approached her with an offer to find a Hebrew woman who would be able to nurse the child. There were no baby formulas like there are today.
“And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother. And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.” (Exodus 2:8-9)
When her offer was accepted, Miriam called her mother and a deal was settled whereby the mother would be paid to raise her own son, at Pharaoh’s expense, and under his protection.
“And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.” (Exodus 2:10)
As soon as he was old enough to not require nursing, the baby was turned over to the princess, who adopted him as her son. She gave him the name “Moses“, or “rescued” and the fact of rescuing him created a special bond. Though he was of the slave people, he was raised as an Egyptian prince receiving the education and benefits of being a prince. Acts 7:22 tells us, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”
“And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.” (Exodus 2:11-12)
Though he had been raised as an Egyptian, Moses never forgot his parents or his Hebrew heritage. The treatment of his people by the Egyptians always rankled. When he was forty years old, he witnessed a Hebrew man being abused by one of the Egyptians. Incensed, he killed the Egyptian after making sure no one was looking, and buried the body in the sand.
“And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?” (Exodus 2:13)
Confident no one knew what he’d done, Moses returned to visit the Hebrews the next day. Though they were slaves, the Hebrews were still human and had conflicts among themselves. Assuming they would recognize his intent to help them as being from God. Moses intervened in an effort to settle their dispute.
“And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known. Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.” (Exodus 2:14-15)
Recognizing his guilt, the guilty party questioned whether Moses would kill him like he had killed the Egyptian, and challenged his authority to do anything. Moses had assumed no one knew but as Luke 8:17 tells us, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” Before long, Pharaoh knew what had happened, and angry that Moses had betrayed his Egyptian upbringing, sought to kill him. Moses fled to the land of the Middianites to escape Pharaoh’s reach. Finding a well, he stopped to rest and consider his options.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Attempted Genocide
Exodus 1:1-22
Tradition has it that the Pentateuch was all written by Moses. The style of writing and details given imply that it was written by numerous individuals, each recording his own time. The frequent genealogical records establish that each writer is recording different time periods but following the same family. It is probable that Moses wrote or dictated most of the book of Exodus. Though what was written was inspired by God, both I John 1:1-5 and II Peter 1:16-21 stress that the apostles wrote what they had observed and heard themselves. There is no reason to suppose that God would not have maintained a similar standard for the Old Testament.
“Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.” (Exodus 1:1-5)
Genesis finished with the death of Joseph. Exodus starts at the same point and describes events for about the next four hundred years, until about 1650 BC. Under Joseph’s administration, the Egyptian people had become wards of the state, working for the pharaoh’s government. Jacob’s family retained their independence as resident aliens, living in the land of Goshen, and maintaining an entirely different culture. Freedom enabled them to grow and become more prosperous than the average Egyptian during the early part of the Middle Kingdom.
“And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” (Exodus 1:6-7)
During the early part of the Middle Kingdom, some of the greatest Egyptian public works were built by the Egyptian people. In an effort to expand their borders, various wars were fought. Being forced to work for the government, the people could not devote their energies to their own crops and progress and it became increasingly difficult for the government to collect enough revenue to pay for all the programs. Unwilling to cut their expenditures, the government began to focus on the only group besides the priests who still owned property, the Hebrews.
“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.” (Exodus 1:8-10)
By portraying the Hebrews as a potential threat, and emphasizing the differences in their culture, Pharaoh and his government got the people’s support in taking control of the Hebrews assets and making slaves of them as well. The Egyptians were not poor because of the Hebrews, but because the Egyptian government took so much from them. It seems that most people see taking away someone else’s benefits as more practical than getting their own. Throughout history, governments have played on this lack of understanding, resulting in slavery, prejudice, social injustice, and genocide. It was no different then than now.
“Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.” (Exodus 1:11-14)
Fear nearly always results in increased sexual activity in an effort to ensure their genetic survival and the Hebrews were no different. The Egyptians moved into military service and the more menial physical tasks were assigned to the Hebrews. The more they multiplied, the more prejudice and fear grew, and some way of reducing their population was sought. The Holocaust, and ethnic cleansings of the last hundred years are modern attempts to accomplish the same thing. Pharaoh wanted to limit the numbers while retaining his slaves.
“And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.” (Exodus 1:15-19)
Pharaoh ordered the midwives, the birthing specialists to kill any baby boy to minimize the danger of rebellion by the Hebrews, while saving the girls to be slaves. In effect they were to practice what is called in our day partial birth abortions, so the mothers would think the baby had had died in the birth process. Fearing God, the midwives refused to kill the babies.
Women who are physically fit have shorter and less painful deliveries, with the result that the babies experience far less stress in being born. In countries where the women do a lot of walking and physical activity, labor rarely lasts longer than three hours, while modern women frequently have ten or more hours. Because the Hebrew women were forced to work at physical jobs they experienced quicker deliveries than the Egyptian women, and the mid wives used the excuse that the babies had usually already been delivered by the time they arrived to explain why they weren’t killing them.
“Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.” (Exodus 1:20-22)
Instead of reducing the population of Hebrews, the rate of population growth increased. God blessed the midwives for putting his commands above the laws that were made, making their families grow as well. In an effort to accomplish his intent, Pharaoh commanded that not only the midwives were responsible for killing the babies. Nazi Germany encouraged ordinary people to kill Jews, and various modern leaders, from Saddam Hussein to Milosevic have done the similar things to eliminate a group they feared might gain power.
Tradition has it that the Pentateuch was all written by Moses. The style of writing and details given imply that it was written by numerous individuals, each recording his own time. The frequent genealogical records establish that each writer is recording different time periods but following the same family. It is probable that Moses wrote or dictated most of the book of Exodus. Though what was written was inspired by God, both I John 1:1-5 and II Peter 1:16-21 stress that the apostles wrote what they had observed and heard themselves. There is no reason to suppose that God would not have maintained a similar standard for the Old Testament.
“Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob. Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.” (Exodus 1:1-5)
Genesis finished with the death of Joseph. Exodus starts at the same point and describes events for about the next four hundred years, until about 1650 BC. Under Joseph’s administration, the Egyptian people had become wards of the state, working for the pharaoh’s government. Jacob’s family retained their independence as resident aliens, living in the land of Goshen, and maintaining an entirely different culture. Freedom enabled them to grow and become more prosperous than the average Egyptian during the early part of the Middle Kingdom.
“And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” (Exodus 1:6-7)
During the early part of the Middle Kingdom, some of the greatest Egyptian public works were built by the Egyptian people. In an effort to expand their borders, various wars were fought. Being forced to work for the government, the people could not devote their energies to their own crops and progress and it became increasingly difficult for the government to collect enough revenue to pay for all the programs. Unwilling to cut their expenditures, the government began to focus on the only group besides the priests who still owned property, the Hebrews.
“Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.” (Exodus 1:8-10)
By portraying the Hebrews as a potential threat, and emphasizing the differences in their culture, Pharaoh and his government got the people’s support in taking control of the Hebrews assets and making slaves of them as well. The Egyptians were not poor because of the Hebrews, but because the Egyptian government took so much from them. It seems that most people see taking away someone else’s benefits as more practical than getting their own. Throughout history, governments have played on this lack of understanding, resulting in slavery, prejudice, social injustice, and genocide. It was no different then than now.
“Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.” (Exodus 1:11-14)
Fear nearly always results in increased sexual activity in an effort to ensure their genetic survival and the Hebrews were no different. The Egyptians moved into military service and the more menial physical tasks were assigned to the Hebrews. The more they multiplied, the more prejudice and fear grew, and some way of reducing their population was sought. The Holocaust, and ethnic cleansings of the last hundred years are modern attempts to accomplish the same thing. Pharaoh wanted to limit the numbers while retaining his slaves.
“And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?
And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.” (Exodus 1:15-19)
Pharaoh ordered the midwives, the birthing specialists to kill any baby boy to minimize the danger of rebellion by the Hebrews, while saving the girls to be slaves. In effect they were to practice what is called in our day partial birth abortions, so the mothers would think the baby had had died in the birth process. Fearing God, the midwives refused to kill the babies.
Women who are physically fit have shorter and less painful deliveries, with the result that the babies experience far less stress in being born. In countries where the women do a lot of walking and physical activity, labor rarely lasts longer than three hours, while modern women frequently have ten or more hours. Because the Hebrew women were forced to work at physical jobs they experienced quicker deliveries than the Egyptian women, and the mid wives used the excuse that the babies had usually already been delivered by the time they arrived to explain why they weren’t killing them.
“Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.” (Exodus 1:20-22)
Instead of reducing the population of Hebrews, the rate of population growth increased. God blessed the midwives for putting his commands above the laws that were made, making their families grow as well. In an effort to accomplish his intent, Pharaoh commanded that not only the midwives were responsible for killing the babies. Nazi Germany encouraged ordinary people to kill Jews, and various modern leaders, from Saddam Hussein to Milosevic have done the similar things to eliminate a group they feared might gain power.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Not Sure Of Forgiveness
Genesis 50:15-26
Nothing is harder to live with than a guilty conscience. Even after we have done everything possible to make things right the sense of guilt keeps recurring. The offended party may be able to put it completely out of his mind, but we never completely forget. For seventeen years, they had lived in Egypt, blessed by his largesse, but Joseph’s brothers had never forgotten what they had done to him. Just as Jacob had feared retaliation from Esau, even after meeting him and being reassured of his love, Joseph’s brothers feared retribution.
“And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father.” (Genesis 50:15-17a)
Though Joseph had reassured them of his forgiveness when he revealed himself to them, the brothers suspected that he hadn’t retaliated out of respect for his father, rather than because he had forgiven them. A guilty conscience makes forgiveness hard to accept. Just as Jacob had sent various gifts in an effort to divert the retribution he felt he deserved, the brothers made up a story about having told Jacob what had happened and his commanding Joseph to forgive them.
"And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.” (Genesis 50:17b-18)
It broke Joseph’s heart to know that they were still worrying about retaliation. He had forgiven them even before he revealed himself to them, and had tried to tell them so. In Hebrews 10:16-17 God said, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” How many times must God weep when we don’t accept his forgiveness and assume that some bad thing happened because of some long past sin? While there are consequences that arise as a result of sin, they are the natural result, not retribution from God, if the sin has been repented of.
“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” (Genesis 50:19-21)
Joseph recognized something many people don’t recognize, that in refusing to forgive others, we set ourselves above God, implying it is worse to act against us than against God. Mark 11:25-26 commands, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” When we begin to set ourselves above God, we need to remember that “…the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God,” according to Deuteronomy 4:24. Instead, like Joseph, we are to “…be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,” as Ephesians 4:32 commands.
“And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.” (Genesis 50:22-23)
Joseph lived about fifty four more years, with the rest of his family, living to see his great grand children, even living with his grandson Machir and helping raise his children. What a blessing to a man who’d been separated from his family and believed dead for over twenty years.
“And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” (Genesis 50:24-26)
Before his death, Joseph reminded his relatives that God had promised Abraham that they would return to Canaan one day. He got them to promise that when it happened, they would take his body back to be buried there. He was embalmed and put into a coffin to protect his body until that time came, and remained there for over four hundred years.
Nothing is harder to live with than a guilty conscience. Even after we have done everything possible to make things right the sense of guilt keeps recurring. The offended party may be able to put it completely out of his mind, but we never completely forget. For seventeen years, they had lived in Egypt, blessed by his largesse, but Joseph’s brothers had never forgotten what they had done to him. Just as Jacob had feared retaliation from Esau, even after meeting him and being reassured of his love, Joseph’s brothers feared retribution.
“And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father.” (Genesis 50:15-17a)
Though Joseph had reassured them of his forgiveness when he revealed himself to them, the brothers suspected that he hadn’t retaliated out of respect for his father, rather than because he had forgiven them. A guilty conscience makes forgiveness hard to accept. Just as Jacob had sent various gifts in an effort to divert the retribution he felt he deserved, the brothers made up a story about having told Jacob what had happened and his commanding Joseph to forgive them.
"And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.” (Genesis 50:17b-18)
It broke Joseph’s heart to know that they were still worrying about retaliation. He had forgiven them even before he revealed himself to them, and had tried to tell them so. In Hebrews 10:16-17 God said, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” How many times must God weep when we don’t accept his forgiveness and assume that some bad thing happened because of some long past sin? While there are consequences that arise as a result of sin, they are the natural result, not retribution from God, if the sin has been repented of.
“And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” (Genesis 50:19-21)
Joseph recognized something many people don’t recognize, that in refusing to forgive others, we set ourselves above God, implying it is worse to act against us than against God. Mark 11:25-26 commands, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” When we begin to set ourselves above God, we need to remember that “…the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God,” according to Deuteronomy 4:24. Instead, like Joseph, we are to “…be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you,” as Ephesians 4:32 commands.
“And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years. And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.” (Genesis 50:22-23)
Joseph lived about fifty four more years, with the rest of his family, living to see his great grand children, even living with his grandson Machir and helping raise his children. What a blessing to a man who’d been separated from his family and believed dead for over twenty years.
“And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” (Genesis 50:24-26)
Before his death, Joseph reminded his relatives that God had promised Abraham that they would return to Canaan one day. He got them to promise that when it happened, they would take his body back to be buried there. He was embalmed and put into a coffin to protect his body until that time came, and remained there for over four hundred years.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Death of Jacob
Genesis 50:1-14
“And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.” (Genesis 50:1-3)
People’s choice of body disposal have a lot to do with their beliefs. One family wanted a sealed concrete vault and steel casket so God wouldn’t be able to get the body out on judgment day! I could get them out myself! Others want to be cremated so God won’t be able to find their ashes, or so they won’t tie up valuable land. A Mormon lady refused to be buried in the local cemetery because it isn’t well cared for and she didn’t want to spend eternity in such a place. As many Mormons believe a woman has to be resurrected by her husband, apparently she doubted her husband’s desire to be married to her for “time and eternity.”
In Genesis 3:19 God said, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” The embalming process, whether the Egyptian one that took forty days, or the modern methods that require just a couple of hours, is designed to slow or prevent the decay and return to dust. Like some today, the Egyptians believed that if the body was destroyed, it couldn’t be resurrected. They practiced embalming so they would have an after life.
Living among the Egyptians, Joseph found it necessary to go along with many of their customs to keep from offending them, even though he knew it made no difference to God. He can open the concrete vault, or reconstitute the cremated or decayed body with no difficulty. However Jacob had insisted on being buried in the Cave of Machpelah, and it would be far more pleasant to transport a body that was not rotting away. Embalming was originally started in the United States to enable delaying the funeral for a few days to allow mourners to come for the funeral without others having to deal with the stench of decay. Refrigeration makes the practice unnecessary today, but the laws have not been changed.
After embalming, the Egyptians maintained a seventy day viewing period before burying the body to give people time to grieve. Few people today realize how important the grieving period is to mental health. Many today try to skip it by avoiding funerals, and leave themselves unable to adjust for years, while others focus on the grief to such a degree they never accept the persons death. Both are emotionally harmful.
“And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.” (Genesis 50:4-10)
Pharaoh was happy to allow Joseph to fulfill his father’s death wish. And the entire family, except the children made the trip, leaving their belongings and cattle behind. The Egyptians also sent a contingent with him, and seven more days of mourning were observed.
“And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.” (Genesis 50:11)
Jacob had only been gone seventeen years and many Canaanites still remembered him.
They placed far less emphasis on funerals, and they were impressed by the effort of the Egyptians. Obviously he had become an important figure to the Egyptians.
“And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.” (Genesis 50:12-13)
Once all the mourning was completed, Jacob was buried by his family and they left with a sense of completion. The modern custom of leaving the cemetery before the grave is filled leaves many with a sense of not being finished. Once it was finished, they all returned to Egypt.
“And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.” (Genesis 50:14)
“And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel. And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.” (Genesis 50:1-3)
People’s choice of body disposal have a lot to do with their beliefs. One family wanted a sealed concrete vault and steel casket so God wouldn’t be able to get the body out on judgment day! I could get them out myself! Others want to be cremated so God won’t be able to find their ashes, or so they won’t tie up valuable land. A Mormon lady refused to be buried in the local cemetery because it isn’t well cared for and she didn’t want to spend eternity in such a place. As many Mormons believe a woman has to be resurrected by her husband, apparently she doubted her husband’s desire to be married to her for “time and eternity.”
In Genesis 3:19 God said, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” The embalming process, whether the Egyptian one that took forty days, or the modern methods that require just a couple of hours, is designed to slow or prevent the decay and return to dust. Like some today, the Egyptians believed that if the body was destroyed, it couldn’t be resurrected. They practiced embalming so they would have an after life.
Living among the Egyptians, Joseph found it necessary to go along with many of their customs to keep from offending them, even though he knew it made no difference to God. He can open the concrete vault, or reconstitute the cremated or decayed body with no difficulty. However Jacob had insisted on being buried in the Cave of Machpelah, and it would be far more pleasant to transport a body that was not rotting away. Embalming was originally started in the United States to enable delaying the funeral for a few days to allow mourners to come for the funeral without others having to deal with the stench of decay. Refrigeration makes the practice unnecessary today, but the laws have not been changed.
After embalming, the Egyptians maintained a seventy day viewing period before burying the body to give people time to grieve. Few people today realize how important the grieving period is to mental health. Many today try to skip it by avoiding funerals, and leave themselves unable to adjust for years, while others focus on the grief to such a degree they never accept the persons death. Both are emotionally harmful.
“And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen. And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company. And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.” (Genesis 50:4-10)
Pharaoh was happy to allow Joseph to fulfill his father’s death wish. And the entire family, except the children made the trip, leaving their belongings and cattle behind. The Egyptians also sent a contingent with him, and seven more days of mourning were observed.
“And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.” (Genesis 50:11)
Jacob had only been gone seventeen years and many Canaanites still remembered him.
They placed far less emphasis on funerals, and they were impressed by the effort of the Egyptians. Obviously he had become an important figure to the Egyptians.
“And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.” (Genesis 50:12-13)
Once all the mourning was completed, Jacob was buried by his family and they left with a sense of completion. The modern custom of leaving the cemetery before the grave is filled leaves many with a sense of not being finished. Once it was finished, they all returned to Egypt.
“And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.” (Genesis 50:14)
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